Phoenix's Tear Saga
by Pulsar
Summary: A full collection of my "Phoenix's Tear" series, starting with Hare's Secret and going all the way to the end.
1. Hare's Secret: Tiger's Paranoia

I don't own Monster Rancher.  
  
That takes care of that. Now, on with the explanations!  
  
Okay, before I get started, I should say that this takes place after the 'Melcarba' incident. Mainly because that's the last new episode I ever got to see... when will we get the new episodes here anyway?! Sigh... So this assumes that you've seen most, if not all, of the episodes up to that point.  
  
Anyway... since we may never find out what Hare's true past is (at least not until we get NEW EPISODES HINT HINT AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS), this is a rather unusual story I've made up concerning him. It explains, among other things, why he wears that cute little kerchief around his neck. So, please read and review this, as I'd like to know what people think of this strange little take on the Monster Rancher world.  
  
And yes, this is only Part One; I'll get Part Two up and posted if people seem to like this.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Rain, rain, go away-chi, come again another day," Mocchi sang forlornly.  
  
Suezo glanced outside the cave, where the rain was still coming down in torrents. "Didn't work kiddo."  
  
"Suezo," Holly sighed, "please don't start." Like all of the others, she was feeling more than a little upset by the fact that they'd had to delay their search for the Phoenix once more because of rain.  
  
"Is it just me," Hare asked, "or do we spend most of our time waiting for storms to blow over?"  
  
"It's just you," Tiger of the Wind answered. Hare glared at the monster, and Holly sighed again. The last thing they needed right now was those two going at it again.  
  
"Come on, cheer up!" Genki urged, seeing how depressed his friends were. "At least we're out of the rain! We've got a roof over our heads-"  
  
"I don't count a smelly, dingy cave as being a decent roof, kiddo," Suezo mumbled, keeping the comment carefully under his breath so the others wouldn't glare at him.  
  
"-And we've got each other! So cheer up!" Genki finished.  
  
"Cheer up-chi!" Mocchi echoed, caught up by Genki's spirit.  
  
Holly smiled, more to satisfy the younger boy than because of any sort of happiness she felt. After all, he tried so hard to keep everyone motivated. She wanted him to feel like he was helping the group's morale with his words.  
  
And it was a little difficult to stay depressed with the living ball of energy bouncing around calling for his friends to cheer up. After a few moments, she felt her soft smile relax into one a bit more genuine. Genki, seeing her smiling gently, grinned even wider.  
  
"See, nothing to worry about!" he insisted.  
  
"Whatever you say, kid," Suezo mumbled. Genki frowned, and flopped down on a rock to think. How could he get the others to stop thinking about the rain?  
  
Once before, he recalled, he had asked the others to tell stories about their pasts. Holly had ended up telling the group a sad story about how she had lost her village and friends in an attack by Moo, and how she and Suezo had been the only survivors, entrusted with the Magic Stone and the awesome responsibility to find and unlock the Phoenix. She had been really upset after she finished her story, but Genki had managed to cheer her up with a little help from the others. Afterwards, she had even said that the rain would make her happy instead of sad from that moment on. Maybe he could pull that off again?...  
  
The biggest problem was that he had no idea who he could ask to tell their story. Golem, he knew, had spent most of his life watching over a field of lost discs: not the type of job that created a lot of interesting stories, or any experiences one liked to talk about. Suezo was Holly's monster, and his story had more or less been told when Holly related her tale. Tiger of the Wind had been a bandit, and had already told the story of his scar and losing his little brother Grey Wolf once before, to Genki alone after he had been brought back from certain death by the group. There was no way he could get the dog-like monster to relate that painful little memory again. And there was no point in asking Mocchi...  
  
Wait. There was somebody who had never quite explained why they were coming along. Genki turned to look at him, grinning, excited. Now was as good a time as any to ask.  
  
"So, Hare, what's your story?"  
  
Hare seemed to tense, and he stared at Genki with wide eyes. Clearly the question had taken him off guard. "W-what?"  
  
"I said, what's your story? Why are you coming along with us?" Genki pulled himself into a sitting position, facing the rabbit. His curiosity had been triggered by Hare's unexpected reaction. The others, overhearing his question, turned their attention to the conversation. Tiger, in particular, seemed interested in what was being said.  
  
"My... story." Hare said slowly, almost reluctantly. "I... don't really have one..."  
  
"Aw, come on," Genki urged, wondering what had gotten into the rabbit.  
  
"Yeah, come on, Hare," Tiger added slowly, eyes watching the other monster's reaction. Hare seemed to squirm under everyone's gaze, and Tiger noticed that one paw reached up almost reflexively to grip his kerchief. Golden eyes narrowed as he thought he spotted something glittering under the red fabric.  
  
"Really, you guys..." Hare tried to smile reassuringly, but failed. He fidgeted with his kerchief without meaning to, trying to figure out how to divert the others' attention. "I don't have any sort of story that you'd be interested in..."  
  
"We won't know unless you tell us, will we?" Genki retorted, still grinning.  
  
"What is it, Hare?" Holly asked, more gently.  
  
"Well... I..."  
  
"Forget it, you guys," Tiger snarled. "He probably just came along because he thought he could make a few golds from this whole trip."  
  
"Don't start," Genki warned, thinking that Hare would take the bait. But to everyone's astonishment, Hare just smiled at Tiger's words.  
  
"Yeah, that's right," he agreed. "Just came along for a few golds, you know me." As everyone stared at him, the rabbit stretched and added with a yawn, "Well, I'm beat. Think I'll try to get some rest while we're stuck here. Night guys."  
  
He turned his back on them and went a little further into the cave, leaving Tiger of the Wind with his mouth hanging open, still waiting for the angry retort that had never come.  
  
* * *  
  
"I don't trust him," Tiger told the others.  
  
Holly sighed. She had been expecting this. "Tiger, please..."  
  
"Why did he get so upset when Genki asked about his story?" Tiger persisted. "And why did he agree to what I said so easily?"  
  
"Maybe because what you said was true," Suezo quipped.  
  
"Look, we shouldn't get hung up on this," Holly said. "If he doesn't want to talk about it, then we shouldn't get on his case. Maybe something bad happened to him, and he doesn't want to remember," she added quietly, gripping the Magic Stone as she spoke.   
  
"Holly is right," Golem finally spoke up.  
  
"But what if Hare's hiding something from the rest of us?" Tiger insisted. "What if he's really working for..."  
  
"You'd better not say it, Tiger," Genki warned, a sudden anger coming into his voice. In his lap, Mocchi stirred in his sleep.  
  
"Moo!" Tiger finished defiantly. The name seemed to echo in the cavern, and Holly glanced carefully over to where Hare was curled up with his back to the group, sleeping. Thankful that he hadn't overheard, she glared at Tiger.  
  
"Tiger, we won't get anywhere by accusing each other of such things," she scolded. Beside her, Golem nodded in silent approval of her words.  
  
Genki glared at Tiger. "I can't believe that you'd even think such a thing!" he said.  
  
"Just because you don't like him, it doesn't mean..." Suezo started to add.  
  
"LISTEN TO ME!" Tiger growled, and the eyeball monster winced and cowered behind Golem. In Genki's lap, Mocchi woke with a start and looked over at Tiger.  
  
"Tiger-chi?" he asked, half-asleep.  
  
"Listen," Tiger repeated, more softly. "I know you think I'm biased in this, but just listen to me. That rabbit is hiding something from us, and I think that it might be where his true loyalties are."  
  
"Tiger..." Genki warned.  
  
"Haven't you ever noticed that his plans always backfire? Every time he makes some sort of plan for us, there's always one thing he didn't consider, and we end up in even worse trouble than before!"  
  
"Tiger..."  
  
"Of course, if he's as smart as he claims he is, he'd be able to think of plans that work! How can we be certain that his ideas haven't been working out the way he wants them too? He could be trying to kill us!"  
  
"TIGER!"  
  
"That's crazy," Suezo said, but something in his tone belied his uncertainty. Tiger jumped on this, and whirled on the monster.  
  
"You think so, Suezo? What about that time on the raft? We would have died if you hadn't used your Teleport! And Hare had no way of knowing at that time that you could use it. It was the one thing he hadn't planned on..."  
  
"Tiger, you're being silly. He would have died, too," Genki pointed out.  
  
"We don't know that, do we?" Tiger's eyes were narrowed, and he was pacing around the cave now as he spoke. "Someone like Hare, he could have had a back-up plan to escape. He would have thought that part out already. Or maybe he's one of those suicidal Moo worshippers who would gladly give up their own life to further Moo's ambition."  
  
Suezo actually laughed, in spite of the tension. "I doubt it," he scoffed. "Hare's hardly the type to lay down his life like that."  
  
"How do we know that?" Tiger growled. "What do we really know about him, anyway? All we know about him is that he's a lying, conniving thief that tried to trick us out of our money, then just decided he was going to come along after we caught him!"  
  
His words hung over the group as they sat in the dark cave. Outside, the rain poured down, and lightning lanced down to the accompaniment of booming thunder.  
  
"I trust Hare," Genki said quietly, his face half-hidden by his bangs. "I don't think he's with Moo. I'd never believe such a crazy thing."  
  
"Chi." Mocchi huddled up in Genki's lap, gazing forlornly up at his trainer and friend.  
  
"Genki..." Holly watched the boy for a moment, feeling something inside her twist at the boy's sudden change. The youth sitting there bore little resemblance to the one who had been bouncing around trying to cheer up his friends not long before. "Let's get some sleep," she finally told the others, not looking directly at Tiger or Hare. "We need our energy for when the rain stops."  
  
Growling gently to himself, Tiger of the Wind flopped onto the ground and tried to relax. Mocchi yawned and curled up again in Genki's lap. Suezo leaned up against Holly's back, his one eyelid slowly drooping shut. Golem bent his head, cradling the girl and eyeball monster in his massive arms. Soon the group had drifted off to sleep.  
  
They had no way of knowing that Hare had been awake, and had heard everything they had said. As the thunder rolled outside, the rabbit stared into the darkness, back still toward the others, thinking.  
  
* * *  
  
"Gone! He's gone!"  
  
Genki and the others bolted awake at Tiger's howl. The boy stared uncomprehendingly at the blue-furred monster for a moment, and asked, "Nani? What is it, Tiger?"  
  
"Hare's gone!" Tiger bounded around the cave, growling. "The little furball left while we were asleep! I knew he couldn't be trusted!"  
  
"WHAT?" Genki whirled to look where Hare had been sleeping. Sure enough, the rabbit was gone.  
  
"Oh no," Holly moaned. "What if he heard us last night?"  
  
"What does it matter? This just proves I'm right!" Tiger howled.  
  
"WOULD YOU PUT A SOCK IN IT, TIGER?" Suezo screamed, startling everyone in the cave. Even Tiger looked a little surprised that the eyeball monster had enough guts to yell at him like that.  
  
"Tiger, I think everyone's had it with your conspiracy theories," Holly added quietly. Somehow her words stung Tiger more than Suezo's outburst had.  
  
Genki had scrambled to his feet and yanked on his skates. "I'm going to go find him," he announced, racing to the cave's entrance.  
  
"Why bother?" Tiger growled. Genki whirled around, and for one moment Holly got the sudden and distinct feeling that the boy was about to smack the dog-like monster. Before she could say anything, however, a scream shattered the morning air.  
  
Genki and the others froze, recognizing the voice. Hare!  
  
Forgetting his quarrel with Tiger, Genki turned and sped into the forest, legs pumping furiously as he plunged into the forest. Branches whipped past him. Behind him, he could hear the pounding of Golem's heavy feet, a reassurance that the others were behind him. Moments later he burst into a small glade. What he saw made his heart take a sudden leap into his throat.  
  
Hare was trying to fend off the attack of a huge baddie.  
  
Genki wasn't certain what kind of monster this was. It looked like a Golem type, but was at least a head taller than his gentle friend was. Its stone skin was a deep purple, like a Naga's scales, and its eyes gleamed a terrible yellow as it leered at the cornered rabbit.  
  
"I have been searching far too long for you, little rabbit," it rasped. "Your master, Naga, wishes to see you." The thing lashed out with one giant arm, and the terrified Hare shrank back against a tree, narrowly dodging the blow.  
  
Genki shouted Hare's name as he charged into the clearing. The rabbit stiffened, and he swung to stare at the boy, his expression unreadable save for his obvious terror. Genki heard Golem crash through the trees behind him, heard Holly's scream and Tiger's battle howl, but his attention was completely focused on the baddie who threatened his friend. Springing into the air, he aimed a kick at the Golem-type's forehead.  
  
The baddie laughed, mocking the boy's attempt, and swung one massive hand at the boy. One huge finger clipped against Genki's side, sending him sprawling.  
  
"Genki!" Hare screamed, taking one step toward the boy. But the baddie turned its full attention back to him, and took another swipe. Seizing the rabbit with one massive hand, he yanked him from the ground and held him like a child's plaything.  
  
"Naga was most displeased when you escaped, little rabbit," it hissed.  
  
"Hare!" Holly screamed helplessly, bent down next to Genki, frantically trying to help the boy to his feet.  
  
"Cherry Blossom Blizzard-chi!" Mocchi called, summoning his attack. The petal blossoms slammed into the Golem-type's side with no noticeable effect.  
  
"Tiger, help us!" Genki called, seeing the dog-type monster standing some distance away, watching the melee. Tiger of the Wind made no answer, instead continuing to stare at Hare as he squirmed in the baddie's grasp. Genki grimaced, struggling to stand.  
  
Even as the others watched, the baddie struck Hare again. With two massive fingers, it ripped the rabbit's kerchief from his throat. The rabbit screamed as the fabric ripped. At his neck, something flashed blood red.  
  
Tiger's golden eyes widened at the sight. Was it possible that...?  
  
"I've found it, Naga!" the baddie screamed in triumph. In his hand, Hare continued to shriek as red energy flowed out from something around his neck. Genki and the others watched, paralyzed by the sight.  
  
Suddenly Hare's expression changed from one of pain to one of determination. The light focused into one beam, and it struck the Golem-type right in the face. Shrieking, the baddie released its grip on the rabbit, and Hare tumbled to the ground.  
  
"Hare!" Genki cried again, pulling himself to his feet. Despite Holly's frantic protests, the boy launched himself at the baddie again. The Golem-type swirled and brought his hand up, ready to smash the boy into the ground.  
  
"Genki!" Holly shrieked.  
  
"Genki-chi!" Mocchi cried, tears springing to his eyes as the massive fist swung down.  
  
"Genki..." Hare whispered, and the fiery red light flared up again, engulfing his entire body. A streak of crimson light lanced out and struck the huge baddie, freezing him in his tracks. The Golem-type bellowed in pain as its entire form seemed to be consumed by the light, and it turned dull yellow eyes to the rabbit.  
  
"You... you can... use..." it murmured, its voice softer than any other time that Genki had heard a Golem speak. It screeched one last time, and then its form collapsed and smoldered under the fire. Within moments, there was nothing that even remotely resembled a monster in the blaze. The magical fire died away, leaving a scorched lost disc in its wake.  
  
Hare gasped, falling to his knees as the glow dimmed. His fur still seemed to crackle from the energy. Genki rushed to the rabbit's side.  
  
"Hare, are you all right?" He reached down to help the rabbit to his feet, but yanked his hand away as it brushed against the white-hot fur.  
  
"Don't touch me!" Hare screamed, flinching away from his hand. He scrambled to get away, snatching his kerchief from where it had landed on the ground.  
  
Genki stared at him in shock. Hare's entire body seemed to be smoldering from the energy blast he had released. In dull amazement, he noticed that he could almost see right through the rabbit's body. Golem, Suezo, Mocchi, Holly and Tiger approached silently, standing behind Genki.  
  
Hare hastily retied his kerchief around his throat; carefully arranging its folds to hide what hung around his neck although he knew it was too late. The others had already seen what it was. Underneath the fabric, the light flared, then dimmed to the slight glow it had always had before. The rabbit's form grew substantial once more, no longer transparent.  
  
Slowly he looked up at the others, who were still staring at him in open-mouthed amazement. The rabbit's face was pale, his eyes filled with an anguish that Genki had never seen before.  
  
"I'm sorry, Genki," he whispered. Suddenly he sprang to his feet and dashed away into the forest, his sobs echoing behind him. Genki stared blankly after him, wondering just what exactly to do now.  
  
To be continued...  



	2. Hare's Secret: Bad Memories

I don't own Monster Rancher. I own some of the toys and the game, but that's it. I don't hold the rights to it. So don't sue.  
  
As the title says, this is part TWO of Hare's Secret. If you haven't read that, this will make no sense whatsoever. So you might want to read that first, unless you like being totally lost when you're reading.  
  
Oh, and please review this when you're done. I like getting feedback on my work.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
No matter how far I run... nothing's going to change...  
  
Hare kept running anyway, kept forcing himself to move forward. Tears stung his eyes, blurring his vision, and he stumbled more than once as he plunged deeper into the forest. He had no idea where he was now, he only knew that he had to put as much distance between himself and the others as possible.  
  
The others... Genki... Holly... Mocchi... Suezo... Golem... and...  
  
Stop it! I can't turn back! It's just too late...  
  
It wasn't supposed to be like this. He had never dreamed that his past would catch up with him... well, no, that wasn't really true. He had suffered through countless nightmares in which the demons from his past had found him, nightmares which had often caused him to wake up crying, praying that his screams hadn't disturbed the others. But this was different; this was real.  
  
There's no turning back.  
  
He finally slowed down; his legs didn't have the strength to support him much longer. The rabbit glanced around, trying to find a decent place to hide and rest for a few moments. Finally choosing to take cover in the trees, Hare climbed into the branches and clung to the strongest branch he could find. Hopefully, he'd be able to spot anybody who might be following him before they saw him.  
  
I can't believe it's come to this. I never thought I'd have to hide from my friends, too...  
  
Hare began to cry softly, still cowering behind the thick branches. If it had started to rain again, he never would have noticed it.  
  
* * *  
  
"...Whoa..." Suezo finally breathed, breaking the awkward silence that had hung over the rebels for some time after Hare had run off. Like the others, the eyeball monster wasn't quite certain just what had happened a few moments before. The whole thing seemed almost like some surreal dream. In fact, they might have dismissed it as just that: some crazy dream that couldn't possibly have happened.  
  
But there was one problem with that: the whole thing was real. The injuries that they had sustained during the short fight with the hulking monster were real. And the lost disc, still warm where it lay before them, that was real too. None of them were quite sure of what had happened or how, but the entire encounter had happened.  
  
Genki stared at the burn mark on his hand. It wasn't very bad: in fact, it barely stung at all. He might have never paid any real attention to it, except that he'd gained it simply by trying to help Hare up. He couldn't understand it...  
  
"Hare!" Genki suddenly started, looking up toward where the monster had vanished into the forest. He already knew that the rabbit had left; he'd stared blankly as Hare had fled from them, unable to stop him or even call out. As some of the shock from what had just happened wore off, however, the full meaning of that sunk in, and the boy clamored to his feet. "We've got to go find him!"  
  
"I'm not certain I want to find him," Suezo murmured, shivering as he remembered the glowing red light from before. He had no idea what it was, but it had completely destroyed the baddie earlier, and Suezo wasn't all that thrilled by the idea of seeing that happen again.  
  
"But we can't just leave him alone out here!" Genki insisted, glaring at the eyeball monster. In the back of his mind, Genki could see the sorrowful look Hare had given them, and he heard the rabbit's last words to him repeat over and over again.  
  
"I'm sorry, Genki."  
  
"I'm not going to abandon him out here!" Genki said. "He needs our help!" With that, the boy turned and got ready to race into the woods where he had last seen his friend.  
  
"Why?"  
  
The question was simple, but the tone it was asked in was scathing. Genki turned to glare at Tiger of the Wind, both shocked and somehow not surprised that the blue-furred monster had asked that.  
  
"Because he's my friend," Genki replied in a deliberately challenging tone, eyes locked with Tiger's own. The others looked on, obviously uncomfortable with the battle of wills they were witnessing.  
  
"Forget him," Tiger growled. "You don't need friends like that."  
  
"Tiger..."  
  
"Don't even start, Genki. That rabbit is completely useless to us."  
  
"But what if the baddies..." Holly piped up. Tiger glared over at her.  
  
"I hope the baddies DO find him! That liar's too worthless to let live!"  
  
Something inside Genki snapped, and he felt his hands ball into fists. Suddenly he noticed something flash out from his side, and he saw golden eyes widen in surprise. A rough, sudden crack echoed in the suddenly silent clearing.  
  
Holly gasped. Suezo's eye nearly bugged out of its socket. Mocchi and Golem just stared, stunned.  
  
Genki Sakura had just smacked Tiger of the Wind in the face.  
  
Genki stared blankly at his hand, completely startled by what he had just done. It was like his hand wasn't even a part of his body anymore: he looked at it like it was some sort of creature.  
  
Tiger's eyes were wide, and he stared at Genki with a look of absolute shock and pain on his face. His jaw ached terribly, and he could feel a small trickle of blood seep out of his mouth. The kid had drawn blood! And it felt like a few of his teeth might have been knocked loose, too.  
  
Suezo saw the blood too, and he could tell by the expressions that the others had that they noticed it as well. Every nerve in the eyeball monster's body went tense as he nervously glanced at first Genki, then Tiger. He could tell that this wouldn't end well.  
  
Genki continued to stare at his hand, horrified to see a small bloodstain on it. He looked over at Tiger, who hadn't moved after being struck, and felt a pang of remorse. Slowly, uncertain of what he could do, he took a hesitant step toward the lupine monster, one hand reaching out in a desperate gesture of kindness.  
  
But Tiger's eyes no longer saw Genki, or any of the others. The blow brought long-suppressed memories roaring back to overwhelm him, and his widened golden eyes reflected nothing but fear as he remembered far too much of the pain:  
  
"You lazy animal! How could you mess up that job again? With all the times I've had you haul things before, you should have it down by now! But nooooo, instead you just screw the whole job up again! You worthless whelp!"  
  
The blue puppy yelped as the whip cracked again and white-hot pain erupted across his back. Pleading golden eyes gazed up at his enraged master, the sorrowful look only infuriating the boy even more. Not far away, another puppy with soft gray fur cowered in the dubious safety of their kennel, watching the beating with frightened blue eyes the color of ice.  
  
It wasn't the young monster's fault that the job had been botched. The rope had just snapped of its own accord, too weak to hold up to the strain of pulling the huge log along. Not that it mattered to the master. All that mattered was that the whelp had failed to complete another job, and that meant he'd lost out on getting paid this time. The whip flailed over the puppy's back again and again, until the tiny thing finally stopped whimpering with each crack. Satisfied, the boy reached down and grabbed the puppy roughly by the back of the neck and half-dragged him back to the kennel. He unceremoniously dropped the little monster into the pen, then stomped off to plan the next day's work schedule.  
  
Sad golden eyes watched him leave. The puppy had no idea why things had turned out this way. His trainer had seemed like a nice kid, a handsome twelve-year old human with wavy brown hair and a friendly smile. He didn't understand why the boy pushed him and his brother so hard. He had expected carefree mornings of playing and frolicking paired with some training, naturally. He hadn't expected to be worked so hard and treated so unfairly by this sweet-looking kid.  
  
The gray-furred puppy had come up beside his brother, and was licking his wounds. The blue-furred puppy let him do so, and slumped to the cold ground. His golden eyes slowly hardened, becoming dark with his suppressed hatred of his trainer, and Tiger of the Wind vowed to someday break free of his master's control...  
  
Tiger of the Wind's eyes narrowed, becoming cold with remembered outrage. His vision clouded, he looked up at Genki without seeing the boy. Instead he saw a forbidding silhouette holding a long whip...  
  
"Nooooo..." Tiger howled, and he flung himself at his long-hated trainer with every intention of killing him.  
  
"Tiger!" Genki cried out in surprise as the wolf-monster leaped toward him. Then sharp white teeth tore into his arm, and he screamed with the shock and the pain.  
  
"Genki!" Holly and Mocchi shrieked in unison.  
  
"Tiger!" Suezo screamed. "WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU DOING?!"  
  
Golem stared in complete shock, unable to fathom just what was happening.  
  
He was wounded. Good. Tiger glared at Genki as the boy stumbled backwards, seeing his trainer in the boy's stead. Electricity pulsed around his body, and he roared out his next attack as he sent the energy streaking toward his target.  
  
"LIGHTNING!"  
  
"TELE-PORT!"  
  
The bolt of lightning tore into the ground, scorching the area where Genki had been sprawled out until a moment before the energy hit. Suezo reappeared next to Golem and the others, Genki materializing beside him. The eyeball monster had no time to dwell on how he had managed to make his teleportation work, however, for Tiger quickly turned to glare at the group.  
  
"Stop it, Tiger!" Holly pleaded, frantically checking Genki's arm as she did so. The bite had gone deep, yet she could see that only the skin had been damaged. She was thankful, at least, for that.  
  
Tiger slowly advanced toward them, golden eyes glazed with bloodlust. Golem moved to shield Holly and Genki with his arms, bending over the two to keep them safe. Suezo and Mocchi glanced at one another, then moved to protect their respective humans as the wolf monster came closer.  
  
I don't know what's gotten into you, Tiger, Suezo thought grimly, but if you try to hurt Holly, I... I'll kill you!  
  
Yeah, right. I'm dead I'm dead I'm dead...  
  
"Why are you protecting him?" Tiger suddenly growled. Suezo stared at him in surprise, realizing that the monster was addressing him.  
  
Say something brave, say something brave...  
  
"Huh?"  
  
Brilliant. Excellent comeback, Suezo you idiot.  
  
"I said, why are you protecting him? That human doesn't deserve to live after what he did to me!"  
  
"Hey, now, don't you think you're being a little harsh on the kid?" Suezo asked, amazed that he had even found his voice. "I mean, he may have hit you pretty hard, but that's no reason to kill him..."  
  
"It's not just for hitting me!" Tiger howled. "I'll make him pay for all he did to me!"  
  
"...??? What the heck are you talking about, Tiger?"  
  
"I'll make him pay! He'll pay for everything he did to me and my brother! All those times of torment!" Tiger's eyes were completely glazed with bloodlust as he howled out the vow of vengeance.  
  
Suezo was now completely lost by the course of the conversation. Leaning over to Mocchi, he asked the tiny monster, "Just what the heck is he going on about?"  
  
"Chi?" Mocchi shrugged his shoulders, then reassumed a battle position. Suezo turned his full attention back to Tiger: the blue-furred monster was preparing to attack. A cold chill seemed to fill the air as the three monsters watched one another, waiting for the right moment to strike.  
  
Suddenly Suezo felt the rain-soaked dirt beneath him give way slightly, and he slipped. Mocchi glanced over at him, distracted by his concern for the other monster.  
  
Tiger saw his chance. Summoned energy crackled again, and another bolt of lightning streaked toward his challengers.  
  
Suezo and Mocchi looked up in time to see the bolt race toward them. Unable to dodge away, the two monsters could only scream as electric death came straight at them.  
  
Tiger grinned with a grim satisfaction as the energy bolt struck, and a dust cloud temporarily covered his targets from view. As it receded, he waited to see two lost discs appear.  
  
Suddenly his grin faded. His bolt had not struck home. Golem's massive arm was stretched before the two other monsters, the rock shielding them from harm. As the dog-like monster howled in frustration, Suezo and Mocchi looked up at the heavily breathing Golem with a sort of awe.  
  
"Fighting... solves nothing," he rumbled in that deep voice of his. "Especially between friends."  
  
"Tiger... please stop it," Holly pleaded again. "Why do you want to hurt Genki so badly?"  
  
"...Genki? Genki?" Tiger asked, his voice suddenly strange. The others stared at him, startled by the seeming confusion in his voice. His eyes had lost some of their bloodthirstiness.  
  
"Why do you want to hurt Genki?" Holly repeated.  
  
Tiger shook his head slightly, looking genuinely bewildered. "Genki? I don't want to hurt Genki. I'm not..."  
  
"But you are," Holly said gently.  
  
"Not Genki. It's him I want to kill." Tiger's eyes narrowed suddenly in disgust, and the others tensed for another attack. But it didn't come; instead, Tiger just shook his head again. "I'm going to make him pay."  
  
"Who?" Holly risked asking.  
  
"Him!" Tiger insisted, growling softly as his eyes shone with a strange blend of anger... and fear. "That boy... that whip-happy sorry excuse for a trainer!"  
  
"Trainer?" Suezo murmured to himself, eye widening as he realized the full meaning of Tiger's words. "Your trainer?"  
  
Tiger growled again, glaring around. "Where is he? I know I saw him here! Don't try and hide him from me! Let me finish what I started!"  
  
"Tiger..." Holly said gently as the entire picture slowly became clear to her. "You mean you want to kill him?"  
  
"Kill! I'll kill him!" Tiger continued to search for his trainer, golden eyes cold and dark with hatred. "I'll take his arm off! Let me finish..." His voice trailed off suddenly as Golem gently laid Genki down onto the ground, and he stared at the wound in the boy's arm uncomprehendingly.  
  
"Genki? Genki! What happened to you! How did you..." Tiger stopped, and he looked closer at the deep gouges on the boy's arm. His golden eyes widened with pure shock, and he breathed, "But this is what I did to... I attacked my trai... how did you..."  
  
Genki gazed up at Tiger, finally understanding, and his eyes not condemning or hateful in any way. The blue-furred monster stared at him, breathing hard.  
  
"No... it can't be!" he howled as full realization crashed down upon him.  
  
"It's all right, Tiger," Genki said, gently reaching up with his uninjured arm to stroke the monster's fur. "I understand. Let's... just call it even."  
  
Tiger looked down at Genki, saw that the boy was gazing mainly at the wolf-monster's sore jaw, and nodded curtly. Regaining some of his normal attitude, he stalked away to sit by himself as Holly gently wrapped a bandage around the boy's arm. He waited quietly, thinking to himself as the others slowly gathered their wits and recovered from the entire encounter. When Mocchi came over and laid one hand on the wolf's back, he refused to acknowledge the tiny monster, even through he was silently grateful for the child's compassion.  
  
Genki got to his feet after a few moments, flexing his arm experimentally. It hurt to move it a lot, but at least it wasn't broken. Hopefully it would heal soon; he had other things to worry about right now. Turning to face the others, he grinned in what he hoped was a reassuring manner.  
  
"Well, let's get going!" he prompted the others. "We can't just sit around all day, people, not if we're going to find Hare before the baddies do!"  
  
"Genki..." Holly said, smiling gently. It was almost as if nothing had happened at all.  
  
"Sure you're up to it, kid?" Suezo asked skeptically, even though he knew what the answer would be. Genki grinned at him.  
  
"Of course I'm up to it," he insisted. "I'm the Monster Champ, remember?"  
  
"We know, we know," Suezo muttered, rolling his eye, smiling despite the resigned tone of his words.  
  
"So let's go!" Genki said, turning and heading off into the forest.  
  
"Let's go-chi!" Mocchi echoed, following right behind the boy. Holly and Golem smiled at one another and went off after the two. Suezo started to follow behind Holly, but paused as he noticed Tiger still standing still.  
  
"You coming?" he asked, glancing back at the wolf-monster. When Tiger made no move to reply, Suezo shrugged it off and turned to follow Holly and the others deeper into the woods.  
  
Tiger of the Wind watched the eyeball monster and the others depart out of the corner of one golden eye. As they headed deeper into the forest, he stood alone in the glade, thinking.  
  
To be continued...  



	3. Hare's Secret: Desperately Seeking Hare

Still don't own Monster Rancher. Sorry.  
  
Now on with the story. This would be part THREE of Hare's Secret. You might want to read parts one and two first, or else risk being totally lost while reading this. Oh, and please post your thoughts on it later; as I've said before, I enjoy getting feedback on my stories, even if it's negative. Thank you.  
  
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"AAAAAIIIIIEEEEEeeeeeiiiiiaaaaa..."  
  
THUD.  
  
"Nice catch, Golem."  
  
"Did you see Hare, Suezo?" Genki asked, peering into the hole that the eyeball monster had made upon hitting the ground.  
  
"Nope. No sign of him anywhere," Suezo replied as a very apologetic Golem helped him up. He groaned, both from the pain of his fall and from the knowledge of what the likely response of the others would be.  
  
"This doesn't seem to be working," Holly observed. "Maybe because the forest's too thick?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" Suezo hastily agreed. "All I keep seeing are trees and more trees. I can't see him anywhere!"  
  
"Maybe we should try one more time?" Genki asked, either not seeing or ignoring how pale Suezo suddenly became at hearing his words.  
  
"Maybe not," Holly told him, seeing Suezo's expression. "We'll just have to search on foot."  
  
"All right then," Genki said, pulling on his skates again. The movement caused the gash in his arm to ache for a moment, and he carefully hid his wince from Holly and the others. They didn't need to be worrying about that right now. Thankfully, Suezo was too happy with the fact that he wouldn't have to do an aerial search again to notice Genki's expression, and the others were getting ready to get moving again.  
  
Mocchi had just noticed something else, too. The little monster tugged on Genki's sleeve and looked up at him with worried eyes. "Where's Tiger-chi?" he asked.  
  
Genki stared down at the little monster, then quickly looked around. Sure enough, there was no sign of the wolf monster anywhere.  
  
"Tiger?" he called. No answer.  
  
"Oh, just great," Suezo groaned. "Now we have two monsters to look for."  
  
"Never mind about Tiger," Genki told him. "He didn't want to help anyway. Give him some time to cool down."  
  
Holly stared at Genki, surprised by his words. "Why, Genki..." she started.  
  
"Come on," the boy said, waving for the others to hurry as he turned and skated deeper into the woods. Holly and the others could only follow, keeping their eyes open.  
  
* * *  
  
Tiger of the Wind watched the others leave from his cover in the shadows. As they walked away, he turned his back on them and went in another direction.  
  
If we split up like this, we'll have a better chance of finding that stupid rabbit, he thought, moving quietly to avoid alerting anyone to his presence. A grim look fell over his face like a shadow.  
  
And if I find that rabbit first, the others will have to drag me off of his lost disc!  
  
* * *  
  
"Hare!"  
  
Hare turned at the sound of his name being called, frozen with shock. How had Genki and the others managed to find him? It didn't seem possible.  
  
And yet, there they were, running toward him. Genki was out in front, as usual, and had obviously spotted him, waving and shouting his name. The rabbit hesitated, desperately trying to figure a way out of this. He wanted to run, but his feet refused to move, keeping him rooted to the spot.  
  
Genki called out his name again, and Hare swallowed hard. He didn't want to get the others involved in this; it was his problem to deal with. As the others drew closer, he raised one paw in a futile gesture to keep them away and yelled, "Stop!"  
  
Something flared white-hot under his kerchief, and Hare watched in silent horror as red energy shot out from his outstretched paw and struck Genki full in the chest. The explosion ripped through the boy's body and erupted out of his back, enveloping the others. Genki screamed, his cry mingling with the other's shrieks as their felt their lives slip away.  
  
"No...NOOOOO!!!" Hare heard himself screaming in helpless sympathy for his friends, and he collapsed to his knees, clawing at his ears to try and drown out their cries.  
  
And Genki screamed...and screamed...  
  
* * *  
  
Hare awoke with a start, still clinging to his perch in the tree. Tears were rolling down his cheeks, and he shivered with the memory of his dream. He hadn't meant to fall asleep, and that had been one of the reasons why. Nightmares like that had haunted the rabbit's nights with a terrible regularity lately.  
  
Wiping away his tears, Hare struggled to focus on the here and now. Careful not to reveal his position in case anyone was watching, the rabbit peered out through the branches, trying to see if anything was happening beneath him. His ears strained to pick up any noises that might give away a potential enemy. Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary, so he finally took a deep breath and leaped to the forest floor.  
  
For a moment, he froze, thinking that he'd heard his name being called. Moving as silently as possible, he surveyed the forest around him, seeing nothing but trees. Forcing himself calm down, the rabbit sighed and started moving again, walking deeper into the woods.  
  
* * *  
  
"What did you just say?"  
  
Night Flyer knelt before her master, folding her wings behind her slender back. The Pixie/Worm hybrid gazed up into her commander's deep yellow eyes and repeated, "The rabbit was discovered by one of my warriors, Marble. He reported the sighting back to me, and I immediately gave him orders to capture him." She lowered her gaze to the stone floor as she reluctantly added, "Unfortunately, he was destroyed."  
  
"That doesn't matter," Naga hissed, waving away her words. "Where was the rabbit seen?"  
  
Night Flyer grinned up at the reptilian monster, her eyes flashing. "Master Naga, you have heard of the seven rebels who turned Pixie into a traitor and killed Gali...?"  
  
Naga's face twisted into a malicious smirk, instantly understanding what the pixie was telling him. "So...he's joined up with them, then?"  
  
"Yes, Lord Naga," Night Flyer replied. Naga's grin grew wider, and the hybrid smiled secretly to herself. She knew that the snake-like warrior preferred the title 'Lord' to simply 'Master', and it always put him into a better mood when she addressed him as such. She gazed reverently up at her leader, admiring his muscular body.  
  
"Night Flyer," Naga said, snapping the hybrid out of her reverie. She instantly brought her gaze back up to his grinning face, hoping that he couldn't see how intensely she was blushing in the dim light.  
  
"Yes, my lord?"  
  
"Where exactly are the rebels located now?"  
  
"Marble's last report placed them somewhere in one of Grey Wolf's forests," Night Flyer informed him. "However, Grey Wolf has not made any attempts to attack them since the defeat of his Beaclon unit. He appears to be waiting for them to come to him..."  
  
"Which means that the rebels are fair game," Naga commented, his yellow eyes quickly narrowing into slits. Night Flyer watched his face, waiting for his orders.  
  
"Go to the lair of the Terror Dogs and tell them I sent you," Naga said after a few moments. "Give them a description of the rabbit and set them loose on the forests. Make absolutely certain that they understand that he is to be captured and brought to me alive."  
  
"Yes, my lord." Night Flyer got to her feet and turned to go, her wings already tensing for flight. Naga suddenly reached out and caught her arm, and the hybrid found herself staring up into his glittering yellow eyes.  
  
"S-sir?" she faltered.  
  
"I don't want you getting directly involved in the fighting, Night Flyer," Naga told her, forcing her to look directly at him. "Once you've directed the Terror Dogs to the forests, leave them to their job and return here. I'll be waiting for your return."  
  
"Y... yes, my lord." Turning away, the hybrid rushed out of the chamber, certain that her face was completely red. Not paying any attention to where she was going, she failed to notice as another monster stepped out of a room and into her path. The two monsters collided, and Night Flyer struggled to maintain her balance.  
  
"Hey, watch where's you're going!"  
  
That noise...oh no, not her. Night Flyer didn't bother to conceal the disgust on her face as she recognized the monster she had run into. As the other got to her feet, she hissed, "Well, Vanity, maybe if you stopped gazing into that damned mirror and paid more attention to everything else, things like this wouldn't happen!"  
  
The Pixie/Suezo hybrid ignored her words completely, choosing instead to gaze into her ever-present mirror and carefully smooth her golden hair. "So, Night, did you finish explaining about Marble's failure to capture the rabbit to our lord?"  
  
Night Flyer didn't bother to ask how the other hybrid had found out about that. The golden-skinned pixie may have never actually fought in her lifetime -she claimed that she found it far too barbaric an activity for one of her beauty- but that didn't keep the canny monster from employing an entire squadron of Suezo-type spies. The eyeball monsters acted as her loyal servants, and gathered tons of information for her, information which she used to her benefit whenever possible. There was a rumor that the golden beauty was trying to blackmail her way into becoming a member of the Big Bad Four, assuming one of the recently vacant spots.  
  
Knowing that the other pixie hybrid was hoping for some sort of reaction, Night Flyer simply ignored the comment, brushing past her without a word. Vanity glared after her, pretty face twisted into an expression of pure loathing that would have stopped the heart of one of her many admirers, had they been present to see it.  
  
Stepping out onto a balcony, Night Flyer stretched out her wings and tensed for a moment, gazing toward the horizon. Then she sprung out into the sky, letting the wind fill her wings and bear her toward her destination.  
  
* * *  
  
The Terror Dogs were one of the few Tiger-type units who had chosen not to align themselves with Grey Wolf. The dark-furred monsters preferred to hire their services out to any of the Big Bad Four, since they felt that would give them more opportunities to fight. Unfortunately for them, Grey Wolf responded to their refusal to work exclusively for him by refusing to even speak to them of any missions. Pixie had also avoided their kind, preferring to work with her own units, and with Gali's defeat, the Terror Dogs were seeing even less action than before.  
  
Velvet, the leader of their pack, could sense how upset his warriors were becoming. He had become annoyed with the whole situation too, and desperately thirsted for battle. Another member of his pack might have swallowed his pride and requested an assignment, but Velvet absolutely refused to even think of such a thing. It was bad enough that the name his long-dead trainer still stuck with him, despite all of his efforts, but the thought of trying to beg for a job...! That was an indignity he would never bear.  
  
Suddenly the wolf monster's keen ears picked up on the soft rustle of leathery wings brushed by the wind, and he got to his feet, sniffing the air. A faint smell brought him to full alert, and he bounded out of his cave to either greet or tear to shreds his visitor.  
  
"Sir Velvet, I bring you a message from Master Naga!" a pixie hybrid called out as she swept down to land beside him. The dog-like monster calmed down, recognizing her scent.  
  
"Night Flyer," he said simply, keeping a close eye on her, "What news do you bring?"  
  
"I have a mission for your squadron, from Master Naga himself!" Night Flyer grimaced slightly as she said the title; 'Lord' was much more fitting to the reptilian. But she knew that using the other title might bring Moo to believe that Naga was overstepping his bounds...  
  
"What type of mission?" Velvet was asking, keeping his excitement under control.  
  
"A simple retrieval assignment," Night Flyer told him. "A purebred Hare which Master Naga is...interested in was recently spotted in a forest in Grey Wolf's territory. Master Naga wants the rabbit caught and brought to him without serious injuries. You are NOT to kill the rabbit; just take him into custody and bring him to Naga's base unharmed."  
  
"Unharmed?" Velvet spit out the word like a curse. "Why does that matter?"  
  
"Master Naga demands that it be so," Night Flyer replied, glaring at the wolf monster. "You must bring the rabbit to him without killing it. That is all you need to know. You will be able to recognize the one you are searching for by the red kerchief around his neck. Do you accept the assignment?"  
  
"I don't know. The pack wants to go into battle; they may not want to let the rabbit live."  
  
"Your honesty is refreshing," Night Flyer complimented him, truly impressed. "Do not worry. The rabbit travels with the rebels who murdered Gali in his own castle. Master Naga has no need for them: you may kill them instead. Will that satisfy your warriors?"  
  
Velvet didn't reply, but a terrible grin slowly spread across his muzzle. Nodding curtly as an answer, he turned and bounded down the cliffside, leaving Night Flyer alone on the ledge. The hybrid didn't mind his sudden departure; she knew he was eager to begin the mission. If his unit could kill the same rebels who had destroyed Gali and evaded Grey Wolf's minions, then they would prove once and for all how powerful they truly were. Grey Wolf would be humiliated...  
  
From far below, the battle howls of the Terror Dogs drifted up to her on the wind. The hybrid looked up toward the stars, smiling at the sound. She was certain that the Terror Dogs would succeed. Her wings unfurled and bore her up into the sky. She had to return to the base now; Lord Naga was waiting for her.  
  
To be continued...  



	4. Hare's Secret: Flames of Battle

In case you haven't figured it out by now, I don't own Monster Rancher.  
  
Again, this is part FOUR of Hare's Secret, and once again I advise you to read the first three parts before reading this, or -trust me- you will completely lost. I would also like to remind my readers that I enjoy getting feedback on my work, and would love to see your opinions of it. Please review this once you've finished! Thank you.  
  
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Hare took to his heels the instant he heard the growl behind him. Something black as midnight lunged at him, but he twisted away from their snapping jaws and darted back into the slight cover of the trees. The howls of the Terror Dogs filled his ears, betraying how close they were. Hare didn't dare look back; he didn't need to: he could hear them panting as their sleek bodies crashed into the underbrush after him.  
  
Branches whipped into his face, and he threw his arms in front of him, running blindly through the forest. His heart pounded wildly, and he could barely breathe, but he couldn't stop -or they would have him!  
  
Aaahhhooooo! One of the Terror Dogs erupted from the underbrush with an explosion of leaves and twigs, leaping at his back. Hare felt the wolf monster's hot breath on his neck, felt sharp teeth graze his fur, and screamed as he ducked away and thrashed into a thorn bush. The dog fell away, crying as thorns dug into its flesh. Stifling his own cry of pain as the sharp bristles tore into his own fur, Hare broke free of the bush and kept running, not bothering to see what had happened to the other monster.  
  
I can't run much longer, he thought grimly. If they catch up again, I'll have to stand and fight. I'd rather die than be taken ba-  
  
"AAH!" Hare suddenly found himself screaming as the ground under his foot gave way, and he tumbled down. He landed hard, and a sharp crack sounded as white-hot pain lanced up his side. Groaning, the rabbit shook his head and stared up at the small opening a few feet above his head.  
  
Of all the rotten times to run into a pit! This just hasn't been my day. Hare tried to move around, and his worst fears were realized as he felt pain erupt up his side. His left leg was bent at an awkward angle, and he couldn't move it without feeling intense agony. Biting back a scream, Hare glanced up at the opening above him. He couldn't see any of his pursuers waiting at the top of the pit for him, and that gave him something positive to focus on even as he looked back at his useless leg.  
  
Well, I'd better take care of this before they do find me. Hare placed both paws against his broken leg, ignoring the pain that contact caused. He closed his eyes and began to concentrate.  
  
Under his kerchief, something began to glow with a faint red light.  
  
* * *  
  
"Sir Velvet, please...help me..."  
  
Velvet ignored the pathetic whimpering of the Terror Dog he had found caught up in a thorn bush, glaring at the injured monster with flashing crimson eyes. "Silence!" he howled. "How dare you let our quarry escape you?"  
  
"Sir Velvet, I beg of you..."  
  
"LIGHTNING!"  
  
The death howl hung over the forest for a moment before slowly fading away.  
  
"My warriors never beg," Velvet growled at the lost disc still caught in the thorn bush. Without another word, he whirled away, glaring at the other Terror Dogs. Some of them glanced over at the lost disc, but they quickly turned away and followed after their leader. Velvet sniffed at the air, trying to catch the scent of his prey once more. After a few moments, he turned and nodded for his pack to follow him.  
  
The pack slunk deeper into the forest, soon coming upon a gaping pit. Velvet paused, signaling his warriors to halt. Nose twitching, he crept up to the edge of the pit and peered in.  
  
Sure enough, his quarry was there, sprawled out at the bottom of the hole. Velvet could smell blood, and figured that the rabbit had probably injured himself when he had fallen. A stroke of luck for him and his warriors, Velvet told himself.  
  
Still, the wolf monster was in a bad mood. Night Flyer had claimed that their target was traveling with the rebels who had killed Moo, and his troops had been looking forward to killing those fools. But when they had found the rabbit, he had been alone, with no sign of the rebels anywhere. Since their orders specifically stated that the rabbit was to be brought to Master Naga alive, there was no way for his men to satisfy their lust for blood.  
  
Peering into the hole once more, Velvet was about to spring in and drag the rabbit out when something made him stop. A strange aura had suddenly formed around the small monster's body, and he seemed to be concentrating hard. His paws gently brushed up against his obviously broken leg, and Velvet felt his eyes widen in surprise as he watched a glow form around the rabbit's paws.  
  
It...can't be. It's impossible!  
  
The glow faded, and the rabbit got shakily to his feet. Velvet stepped back from the edge of the pit, unable to believe what he had just witnessed.  
  
The rabbit...had somehow healed his own wounds. He was standing on the same leg that should have been hanging limply beside him, useless. Somehow, he'd been able to mend the broken bones and his other wounds. No wonder Master Naga wants him alive.  
  
Velvet backed away from the edge of the hole, crimson eyes narrowing as he decided how best to deal with this new information. He signaled to his pack again, quietly ordering them to hide themselves nearby. Secreting himself in the shadows, Velvet watched the pit and waited for the rabbit to emerge from the hole. That was when the rabbit would be most off his guard: when he and his pack would strike.  
  
* * *  
  
"Hare! Hare, where are you?" Genki called, looking around him.  
  
"Come on, please answer!" Holly pleaded.  
  
Suezo scanned the trees, hoping that he would catch a glimpse of the rabbit. Or one of Tiger of the Wind, for that matter. The eyeball monster didn't want to let the others know, but Tiger's absence from the group bothered him almost as much as Hare's sudden disappearance. It was no secret that the blue-furred monster wasn't particularly fond of the rabbit, and Suezo feared what might happen if he found Hare before the others could. He could tell that Golem could sense his fear, and that the towering rock monster was just as worried by that possibility as he was.  
  
"Do you see anything-chi?" Mocchi asked. Suezo whirled to look at the younger monster, startled to realize that he had been watching the eyeball monster the whole time.  
  
"Uh...no," Suezo admitted, wincing to himself as he watched the pink monster's eager face fall with disappointment.  
  
"Oh." Mocchi turned away and gazed off into the surrounding trees, obviously upset.  
  
"Hare! Hare, come on and say something!" Genki cried out again. The boy led the others deeper into the woods, still calling the rabbit's name.  
  
* * *  
  
Tiger of the Wind glanced over in the direction where Genki's voice was coming from. The boy and the others had to be nearby; they sounded like they were only a few miles away. Tiger snorted; even when he wasn't traveling with them, he couldn't get rid of that boy.  
  
Turning away from the sound, he brought his full attention back to the task at hand. He had managed to find Hare's scent a few minutes after leaving the group, and had been following it for some time. The rabbit must have spent most of the day walking; the sun was already low in the sky, yet he hadn't caught up to Hare. Still, the rabbit was probably tiring by now, and would have to stop for the night. That would be when Tiger would catch up to him.  
  
And what then?  
  
That was the part Tiger hadn't quite figured out yet. While part of him wanted to tear the annoying rabbit limb from limb, another part held him back, telling him to wait. He couldn't understand it: Hare was a complete annoyance, a worthless con artist who'd tricked him and the others before, a possible traitor who might work for Moo...If the rabbit died, it would be no big loss for them.  
  
So why was it that he couldn't shake the final image he had of the rabbit, right before he'd fled from the others? Hare's face had been completely pale, and the sorrow Tiger had seen in those wide eyes had taken him off guard.  
  
"I'm sorry, Genki."  
  
Sorry for what? Tiger wondered. What could you possibly be sorry for? For betraying the group? Or is it something else?  
  
And...why do I care?  
  
* * *  
  
Nobody seems to be around, Hare thought as he carefully peeked out from the pit. His sharp eyes darted from tree to tree, trying to see anything out of the ordinary, and his ears twitched as he listened for any sort of noises. After a few moments, he carefully pulled himself out of the hole. Brushing the dirt from his fur, he glanced around one final time before turning to leave.  
  
A low growl rumbled from behind him, and Hare froze. As he whirled around, he caught a glimpse of midnight fur as a shadow surged toward him. Screaming, Hare lashed out with his foot, catching the monster right in shiny white teeth he didn't want to think about. As it sprawled out, he turned to flee, heart beginning to race again.  
  
Something heavy and ebony-furred slammed into his back and pinned him to the dirt, and Hare screamed again, the cry cut short by the force of his hitting the ground. Hot breath washed over his face and he stared up into sharp fangs and glowing crimson eyes. He managed to scream one final time before darkness took him.  
  
* * *  
  
Tiger of the Wind froze as the terrified shriek came to his ears. At the same moment, he caught a whiff of other scents on the air: more monsters, and the stench of blood. The wolf monster surged into the forest, howling a battle cry.  
  
* * *  
  
Not far away, Genki also darted toward the cry, legs pumping as he skated deeper into the forest. Somewhere behind him, Holly screamed for him to slow down and Mocchi called his name, but he didn't pay any attention to them. He could hear Golem come crashing into the trees after him, and hoped that the others would be able to keep up, because there was no way he was going to slow down now.  
  
* * *  
  
Velvet leered down at the rabbit pinned beneath him, amused by his fear. He couldn't blame the thing for being frightened; that was why his kind was called Terror Dogs, was it not? The sound of the rabbit's screams sent thrills through him: it had been far too long since he had heard a victim cry out in fear. Hopefully Master Naga would be pleased enough with his pack's success to assign them more missions.  
  
Hare stared up at Velvet, his breath coming in short gasps. One of his paws tightened around his kerchief, and the Terror Dog's eyes narrowed. Suddenly the wolf monster lashed out, catching the side of Hare's head with his paw. The rabbit slumped down, knocked out by the blow.  
  
Velvet looked once more at the rabbit sprawled out beneath him. He still wasn't quite certain what he had witnessed earlier when he had looked into the pit, and he wasn't entirely sure that he wanted to know. All that mattered to him was the fact that his mission was successful, and that he could report back to Naga confidant that the reptilian would be satisfied. Smirking, he stepped off of the unconscious rabbit's chest and signaled his pack to get ready to depart.  
  
Suddenly Velvet heard one of his warriors cry out. He whirled just in time to see one of the guards near the forest collapse, electric energy pulsing around his charred form. The other Terror Dogs looked around wildly, scattering away from their fallen comrade so as not to fall victim to the hidden assailant. A growl rumbled from Velvet's throat as he scanned the underbrush.  
  
"Come out!" he ordered, energy already forming around his horns as he tensed for battle.  
  
A howl pealed out of the forest in reply, and a blue blur erupted from the trees into the clearing. Lightning coursed out from the streak, and another warrior yelped as they stumbled to the ground. The blue streak dashed straight toward Velvet, and the Terror Dog unleashed his own lightning bolt upon it.  
  
It connected. Velvet felt a rush of excitement as he heard a sharp cry, and the streak fell off course, slowing down enough for him to recognize it. The black-furred wolf grinned as he realized just who the attacker was.  
  
Tiger of the Wind; rebel, thief, and elder brother to Master Grey Wolf himself. Velvet's leering grin grew wider. How convenient: not only would his troops get the fight they longed for, but they would be also getting revenge on Grey Wolf in a sense.  
  
"Kill him," he ordered his pack, moving toward the blue-furred monster even as he spoke. His warriors eagerly followed, spreading out in a circle around Tiger.  
  
Tiger grimaced. He could feel something warm trickling down his back; that attack had done more damage than he had thought. It was painfully obvious to him just how bad things were: the Terror Dogs were out for blood, and far outnumbered him. Even if he managed to take out some of them, the others would swarm over his body.  
  
He risked a quick glance to his side. He could just make out Hare's crumpled form lying a few feet away. A few of the Terror Dogs had positioned themselves nearby the rabbit, showing an unusual common sense. After all, it wouldn't do to kill Tiger, only to have their real target escape. Not that it looked like Hare would be doing any escaping. The rabbit was unconscious, and Tiger quickly gave up on the notion that he might receive any help from him.  
  
Tiger dropped into a battle crouch, a low growl rumbling in his throat. If this was the end for him, then he was going to go out fighting. With an odd feeling of detachment, he found himself wondering how many of the Terror Dogs he could take down before he would be overwhelmed...  
  
Velvet moved first, springing toward Tiger with jaw gaping wide. Tiger leaped away, but he could feel the other's claws rake across his side as he flashed past. Whirling around, the warrior of the wind called out for his lightning. Ebony fur sizzled, and three of the Terror Dogs yelped as they dodged backwards.  
  
Fangs dug into Tiger's tail; without hesitation he whirled and struck the attacker hard across the face, drawing blood. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the others pressing in. He lashed out again and again, driving them back, but for each monster he forced away, three more moved in. He could smell the heavy stench of their sweat soaked fur; could sense their longing for his blood. The wound on his back throbbed with each move he made, a reminder of the limits of his body. As the Terror Dogs pressed in again, Tiger summoned his blizzard and knocked another wave backward for a few precious seconds.  
  
"LIGHTNING!"  
  
Tiger had not called that attack, and he cried out involuntarily as it ripped into his body. His front left leg took the full force of the blow, and it folded painfully beneath him, driving him to the ground. As the Terror Dogs surged forward, howling triumphantly, Tiger steeled himself for the killing blow.  
  
"CHERRY BLOSSOM BLIZZARD-CHI!"  
  
A curtain of soft pink petals swirled around the wolf monsters, blinding them. Tiger instantly recognized the voice and, despite the pain in his leg, grinned to himself. The Terror Dogs gazed around at the fluttering blossoms, all wearing the same expression of utter confusion.  
  
"What the heck?" one of them asked. Velvet didn't bother to answer his warrior; he was too busy scanning the forest for the attacker.  
  
Something small and pink suddenly came at him and smashed into his face. Velvet yelped and shook it off, forcing his eyes open again, and he sent his lightning after a tiny pink monster as it rolled into a ball and bounced away.  
  
"I'm in the zone!" a loud voice called out, and hard wheels collided with Velvet's face, sending him sprawling backwards. A young boy skated away from him and into the middle of his pack, calling, "Tiger!"  
  
"I'm fine!" Tiger growled, crawling to his feet, ignoring the pain coursing through his leg. "You worry about yourself!"  
  
Velvet whirled around and spotted a huge rock monster hovering over a young girl and an eyeball monster. The girl was on her knees next to the rabbit -near his captive! Howling in outrage, Velvet surged toward them, a few of his scattered warriors following after him. Most of his pack, however, was trying to deal with that kid and the pink monster, as well as trying to get away from the enraged Tiger.  
  
"Holly, look out!" Suezo warned as he spotted the monsters racing toward them. The eyeball monster summoned his courage and leapt to intercept them, calling out, "Tail Attack!"  
  
Velvet ignored Suezo's assault, meeting the eyeball's attack with his own Torpedo. Holly shrieked as she saw her friend knocked backwards, and Velvet began to laugh at her. Sneering, the leader of the Terror Dogs motioned for the warriors behind him to break off and go deal with the injured eyeball.  
  
"Suezo!" Genki cried, seeing the eyeball monster's danger. The boy pivoted on his heel and skated toward him, Mocchi bouncing along beside him.  
  
"Watch yourself!" Tiger warned, his lightning vaporizing a Terror Dog as it leaped to intercept the boy. His injured leg folded beneath him again, and he collapsed.  
  
"Tiger!" Genki yelled, turning in time to see the blue-furred wolf stumble. "Suezo..." and he whirled to glance at the eyeball monster again as the Terror Dogs slowly closed in. The boy hesitated, not certain which of his friends needed his help more. Not far away, he could see the leader of the black-furred wolves slowly closing in on Holly, as Golem moved to intercept him.  
  
Mocchi pressed close to Genki's side, gazing up at his friend for guidance. There was no doubt in the little monster's mind that his trainer knew how to save all of their friends from the baddies.  
  
"Genki!" Holly cried out from behind Golem. "Help Suezo, please!"  
  
Genki looked at her and nodded. With one last glance over at Tiger to assure himself that the blue wolf would be okay, he darted toward where Suezo lay unconscious. The boy slammed his fist into the gaping jaws of the Terror Dog closest to Suezo, and the others whirled to face him. Genki counted at least eight or nine of the monsters around the eyeball monster, a small part of the entire pack.  
  
"Mocchi, use your blizzard!" he ordered. The young monster complied, and as the Terror Dogs tried to see through the swirling petals, he stumbled over to Suezo's side. The eyeball monster was bleeding from a few wounds on his eyelid and knocked unconscious, but his breathing was steady and he was alive.  
  
A yelp distracted Genki, and he spun around just in time to see Tiger of the Wind stumble to the ground again as the Terror Dogs swarmed over him. Genki screamed the blue wolf's name, tears springing to his eyes, and he started striking back at the black-furred monsters blindly. Mocchi was beside him again, and the two struggled to hold back the baddies as they swarmed around them, trying to keep them away from the helpless Suezo.  
  
Holly and Golem had seen Tiger fall too, and the girl stared over at the spot in blank horror. Golem pulled her and the unconscious Hare into his strong arms, lifting them away from the battle and immediate danger, but some of the Terror Dogs already snapped at his ankles, leaping up at his friends.  
  
"Mocchi! Genki!" Holly screamed as the boy kicked away another attacker. She could tell that Genki and Mocchi were beginning to weaken under the ruthless assault, and Golem was already struggling to make his way over to them. Holly stared back at the spot where she had seen Tiger fall: she couldn't make out his form under the Terror Dogs, but at least she didn't see a mystery disc.  
  
Genki cried out, and Holly whirled to look at him. One of the baddies had struck his arm, and she could see that the wound had reopened. The boy winced as blood began to seep from the gash once more, but refused to acknowledge just how much pain it put him in. Instead, Genki gritted his teeth and brought his fist down hard on another monster's muzzle. Suezo needed his help now: he wouldn't let his friend down!  
  
"Genki!" Holly screamed again, almost falling out of Golem's arms. The rock monster grunted and stumbled backwards, nearly collapsing under the continued assault from the Terror Dogs.  
  
Too many... there's just too many, Holly thought dully, clutching to the unconscious Hare to keep him from falling out of the temporary safety of Golem's arms. As the monsters pressed in again, the girl bowed her head and waited for the end.  
  
"...ly...Holly?"  
  
The weak voice snapped Holly out of her despair, and she stared down at Hare as he stirred beside her. His eyes fluttered open, and he repeated her name softly, disbelieving.  
  
"...Holly?"  
  
"It's me," Holly answered, reaching over to brush his cheek gently with her hand, relieved to see that he was at least conscious again.  
  
Genki cried out again, and Hare's eyes snapped wide. The rabbit struggled to sit up, trying to see over Golem's thick arms. Holly reached out to steady him, glancing worriedly over to where Genki and Mocchi were still fighting.  
  
"No..." Hare breathed, seeing Suezo's crumpled form behind the two. He looked over at Holly with wide eyes and said, "Tiger...Where's Tiger?"  
  
"Hare..." Holly started slowly, her gaze drifting against her will to where she had seen Tiger collapse. Hare stared at her uncomprehendingly for a moment, then tried to right himself again, slumping against Golem's supporting hands. Holly reached out for him again, saying, "Don't...you're hurt..."  
  
"Holly, forget about me," Hare said, a sudden steeliness coming into his voice that Holly had never heard before. "Let me do this, or they'll die."  
  
Taken aback, Holly stepped backward, and both she and Golem stared blankly at the rabbit as he got to his feet. Hare looked at them for a moment, and Holly got the strange feeling that he was asking them to forgive him. Then he turned his back on them, and made a strange movement with his paws.  
  
Something flashed an intense red under his kerchief, and a blazing crimson aura flared up around him. Holly and Golem stared at the sight, completely spellbound.  
  
"What?" Velvet howled, whirling to stare at the rabbit. All around him, his warriors stopped fighting and gazed over at Hare.  
  
Genki felt Mocchi grab onto his hand, and glanced down at the little monster. He looked absolutely horrified: this blazing monster bore little resemblance to their friend. The boy returned the tight grip and stared over with a mixed sense of wonder and terror.  
  
From within the blazing red aura, Hare smirked sadly to himself. Looks like they ended up learning about my little secret after all. He raised his arms and gave a silent command, then the crimson blaze swept over the entire area in a flash of red flame.  
  
Genki shielded his eyes from the intense light with his injured arm, still clinging to Mocchi's hand. The light flashed as brightly as the sun for a few moments, then faded to a warm glow. Genki slowly moved his arm away from his face and stared around the clearing, stunned to silence.  
  
All of the Terror Dogs were gone, transformed into lost discs. Mocchi clung to his hand, staring around in astonishment. Behind him, Suezo groaned softly and opened his eye. A few paces away, he could see Tiger of the Wind slowly getting to his feet, golden eyes betraying his surprise at surviving the assault. Holly and Golem were looking at Hare in quiet awe.  
  
The aura around Hare dimmed, fading to a soft glow from beneath his kerchief. The rabbit seemed to look directly at Genki for a moment, then gasped and collapsed, his energy spent. Golem jerked forward and carefully supported Hare's limp body, lifting him from the ground and taking him gently in his arms. The rock monster looked at the others, and they exchanged wondering glances. Genki stared at Hare's unconscious body, suddenly frightened.  
  
To be continued...  



	5. Hare's Secret: Illusions Revealed

I still don't own Monster Rancher. Sorry.  
  
Well, this would be the fifth and final part of Hare's Secret. Hopefully you've enjoyed the story up to this point. As I've said before, it really helps if you've read the other sections of the story before reading this, or you will have no clue what's going on.  
  
I may do some sort of sequel story to this, because I really like working with this plot line. It depends on what I feel like doing with it, I guess. Anyway, please be sure to review this and tell me whether or not you liked the story. Thank you for taking the time to read this.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
Genki stared up into the night sky, his eyes drawn to the stars. At least this night it was clear outside, and he could see the stars glittering far above them. Nearby, Holly was coaxing the fire into full blaze, and the sparks leaped into the air, as if trying to become stars themselves.  
  
Mocchi sighed, snuggling up against Genki's side, and the boy draped one arm around the pink monster. He looked down at his little monster and smiled, remembering how brave he had been earlier. His smile faded, and he gazed around at the others, reminded of just how close they had come to defeat.  
  
Suezo was curled up next to Holly, trying to help her with the fire. His back had been bandaged up, a reminder of how badly he had been injured during the fight. He hadn't strayed far from Holly's side after that.  
  
Tiger of the Wind was on the edge of the group, as always. His back was turned to everybody else in the clearing, and he stared out at the dark forest with glittering golden eyes. He had only allowed Holly to bandage his leg, which had been fried during the battle, and only after arguing with the others about how serious it was.  
  
Golem was sitting some distance from the fire, carefully cradling something in his massive arms. Genki knew that the rock monster was looking after Hare, who had fainted right after the fight had ended...  
  
Shaking his head, Genki turned back to the fire, its flames reminding him of what had happened earlier. He kept wondering just what was going on lately. First Tiger had gone paranoid on them, and Hare had run away from them, apparently because of what the blue wolf had said. From that point on the entire day had been like a dream, and Genki had gone through in a sort of daze, half convinced that everything that was happening was some sort of nightmare.  
  
A soft noise caught his attention, and Genki turned to see that Golem had moved. Everyone else turned to watch as he walked over to the group and sat down. Hare slowly crawled out of the rock monster's hands and stepped into the light of the campfire, looking around slowly at the others.  
  
"I guess I owe you guys some sort of explanation," he said, his voice almost a whisper as he sat down across from Genki. His face looked tight and drawn, and he seemed to be close to tears. He smiled wistfully, adding, "I wish that I could tell you this was just another one of my tricks, but..." He faltered.  
  
Genki couldn't take it any longer. "Hare, what's going on? Why were those baddies after you? And why did you run away from us? And what...what happened during the fight?" His questions trailed off, leaving an awkward silence.  
  
"Never heard the saying, 'One thing at a time,' huh, Genki?" Hare quipped, smiling slightly. "But it's alright. I'll try to explain everything."  
  
Hare took a shuddering breath, then began his story.  
  
"I'm certain you guys overheard what the golem said to me when he attacked this morning. Yes, I do know about the last of the Big Bad Four...about Naga." Hare shuddered, his eyes darkening. "You have to believe me when I say that there has never been a more cruel monster unlocked. I don't think that even Moo himself could be as evil as Naga is. At least Moo fights because that's all he's ever really known how to do. But Naga fights for pure enjoyment. He enjoys death..."  
  
Hare shivered again, clutching his kerchief tightly for a moment, and Golem gently reached down and brushed the rabbit's fur with his massive hand. Hare turned and smiled up at the other monster for a moment, then turned back to the others and continued.  
  
"When I was very little...no older than Mocchi is, really...Naga attacked my village." Hare stared into the fire, holding back tears as he said in a bare whisper, "He just appeared one night and started destroying everything. He had his troops set all the buildings set ablaze, and murdered the people and monsters as they fled. He didn't spare anything."  
  
Holly reached over to Suezo and gently wrapped her arms around him, her eyes distant, and even Genki could tell that they were thinking about the destruction of their own home. Mocchi pressed against his own side and looked up at him for reassurance.  
  
"The only reason that I survived was because my parents forced me to hide in a shelter they had been working on," Hare went on, slowly. "They had been hearing rumors of Moo's revival, and had been building a hiding place under the house. But they'd barely started on it...it was just a small hole in the ground, covered by some rocks. They...told me to stay in there until one of them came back for me..."  
  
His voice trailed off again, and he took a shuddering breath before he managed, "But neither of them came back. I waited in that stupid hole for them, believing that one of them would come for me soon. I could hear...all sort of horrible things above where I was hiding. All the screaming...after a while, it finally died out. I was terrified, and I couldn't take hiding any longer. I had to find out what had happened."  
  
The fire sent shadows dancing across Hare's face. Genki realized that he was leaning forward to catch the soft words.  
  
"When I climbed out of that hole, I saw Hell," Hare said bluntly. "The entire village had been burned down...I was standing in the ruins of my own house. Everything was gone: all the flowers and grass, and all the buildings were just gone. The trees looked like black skeletons, reaching toward a blood-red sky...And everyone was dead. I...I saw their bodies scattered in the streets...the people and monsters I lived with...I saw their charred bodies and lost discs everywhere. He killed everyone..."  
  
"That's when I saw him," Hare continued, his voice suddenly icy. "Naga was there, standing in the center of the village, in what had been the town square. And he was laughing...he was laughing! When he destroyed the town...and murdering all those monsters and people...he was enjoying himself! He..." Hare burst into tears, unable to continue.  
  
Golem stroked the rabbit's fur again with an infinitely gentle touch. Hare sobbed for a moment, then managed to regain control.  
  
"When I saw that...when I saw that he was having a good time while destroying everything I'd ever known...I snapped. There's no other way to put it. I knew that he was to blame for what had happened to my home, and I wanted him dead. I'd never wanted to see anything hurt before, but I wanted this monster to die. I needed to make him pay for what he'd done."  
  
"So I attacked him," Hare went on, looking back up at the others as he spoke. "I just leaped at him and punched him in that ugly face of his. I knew I was going to die, but I went ahead and attacked him anyway. I just didn't care anymore. All that mattered was making him pay..."  
  
"Whoa..." Suezo let out the breath he hadn't even realized he had been holding. He stared at Hare. "But...wouldn't you be..."  
  
Hare laughed, but it was a rueful, mocking laugh, one that seemed strange coming from the normally cheerful rabbit. Not that he bore much resemblance to the Hare they all knew, staring into the flames with such a resigned look on his face.  
  
"No, as you can see, he didn't kill me," he muttered, "though I wish he had. He just picked me up by the back of my neck and looked at me strange for a moment. I guess he hadn't expected any survivors, and especially not some runty little monster child angry enough to attack him. He stared at me, and then started laughing again, that same horrible laugh. He said, 'Well now, what's this we have here? Some little rabbit who escaped the flames and attacks the warrior?' He laughed again, and asked, 'What's your name, little rabbit?' I tried to kick him again, and he just held me away from his body and laughed again. I wanted to kill him for laughing."  
  
" 'Well, you have spunk, don't you?' he asked. 'That's good for you, little one, and a very good quality in a weak child.' He held me away from his body, laughing as I tried to hit him, then added, 'I think I'll keep you around for a while. You amuse me.' And then he pinned me down and had some of his henchmen make a cage, and they took me away."  
  
"Did he..." Holly began.  
  
"No, he didn't have Moo turn me into a baddie," Hare answered her question. "Naga didn't view me as any sort of threat or as a fighter: I was just some little child that amused him. He treated me like some sort of toy. He had a chain and collar fashioned for me, and whenever he wanted to have some fun with me, he just yanked on the chain and pulled me along. Mostly he enjoyed just laughing at me; he thought it was funny how I tried to resist him and kept trying to hurt him. Sometimes he had me fetch things for him, little things like maps or drinks, always keeping hold of that chain."  
  
"Oh, he didn't let me get away with everything," Hare continued. "If I stepped too far out of line, he was always ready to beat me up. One time I slipped a sleeping potion I'd managed to scrape together from a few herbs into his wine. He figured out what I'd done, somehow, and fooled me into believing that he'd taken it. He grabbed me that night just as I was sneaking by him. Beat me within an inch of my life that time. I suppose I was lucky, in a way," he added, bitterly. "He could have killed me whenever he wanted, but he always kept me alive, although sometimes just barely. Guess my attempts to get free just amused him too much."  
  
"But you escaped somehow, is that it?" Holly asked.  
  
"Uh huh." Hare shivered and drew closer to the fire. "You see, Naga's not as loyal to Moo as he acts. He pretends fealty, but is actually planning to murder Moo and take over leading the baddies." He paused as Holly gasped softly, then went on with his story. "So Naga is always looking for a way to overthrow his power. He even considered looking for the phoenix once, but decided he didn't want to risk being caught. So instead, he tried looking into other promising methods. And he found one, too."  
  
"What?" Genki wondered aloud.  
  
"He found the Phoenix's Tear," Hare replied, and reached up to his kerchief. He undid the knot and let the red fabric fall to the ground, and Genki and the others stared in amazement. Hung on a simple cord around the rabbit's neck was a crystal that shone a faint red. In the light of the campfire, it shimmered with an almost prismatic effect, showing shades of faintest blue through the soft red glow.  
  
Holly absently gripped her Magic Stone. The crystal looked a little like her own, but was smaller and had more of a tear shape to it. Plus there was the fact that this pendant continued to glow faintly, as if it had a life of its own, while the Magic Stone only glowed while she was using it.  
  
"That's...the Phoenix's Tear, I take it?" Suezo said more than asked, mesmerized by the crystal.  
  
"Yes," Hare confirmed, playing idly with the cord, "this is the Phoenix's Tear. According to the legends my parents told me, this is a crystallized tear shed by the Phoenix in her grief over the bloodshed Moo caused all those years ago. When its powers are used properly, the bearer can use any sort of monster attack, even ones they couldn't normally learn. It also helps monsters that are near it learn their own attacks faster, and increases the strength of the ones they already know. The one who controls its power can even use magic unlike any that any type of monster can use...but there's a problem."  
  
"What?" Genki blurted.  
  
"Most monsters have no control over the Phoenix's Tear or its powers. Only a few rare individuals can use it, and thankfully Naga isn't one of them. I remember how hard he tried to command it the night he found it, without any luck whatsoever. He finally gave up and threw it down, then went to sleep in a rage."  
  
"But you can use it, can't you?" Genki said, staring at Hare as if seeing him for the first time.  
  
Hare nodded. "I don't know how...I'm not sure what makes me able to use it, when Naga can't...I just can. At any rate, after he fell asleep, I decided to see the crystal for myself. I'm not certain why...I guess I just wanted to see the thing that Naga was getting so enraged over. I picked it up from the floor, and suddenly it flared into bright red light. It nearly blinded me, but I saw Naga wake up and stare at me, with the strangest look on his face. He wasn't upset or scared...triumph."  
  
"Huh?" Genki stared at him.  
  
"Triumph. That's what I saw. He saw that I could use the Phoenix's Tear, and he was ecstatic." Hare trembled with the thought. "He knew he could control me, so he probably figured that he would control the Tear's powers through me. He reached out for me, and I remember wishing that I were somewhere far away from his reach. Then the Tear flashed even brighter, and he just vanished. I suppose I triggered a Teleport, just like a Suezo does," he added with a faint grin over at Suezo.  
  
Despite the tension in the clearing, Genki laughed at that, and Holly giggled quietly. Suezo just rolled his eye.  
  
"So you took the Tear and escaped from Naga," Golem said solemnly.  
  
Hare nodded again, looking up at the rock monster. "I had no idea what had happened or where I was," he continued, "just that I had apparently gotten my wish. I was ecstatic for a while, but then I realized that I was lost, alone, and was probably going to be hunted down by Naga and his soldiers. I didn't want to go back, so I started traveling. I didn't know where I was or where I was headed, I just knew that I couldn't let myself be captured again."  
  
He played with his pendant while he added, "After a while, I started to understand more of the Tear's abilities. Since my having it causes it to glow, I decided to hide it by wearing it around my neck like this and hiding it under my kerchief. That way, I thought I wouldn't be so easy to spot. And I figured out another way to disguise who I was..."  
  
His voice trailed off, and he glanced at the others carefully, hesitating. They looked stunned enough as it was with his story; could he really tell them the whole truth?  
  
Go on, it's not like it matters now anyway. Might as well tell them everything.  
  
Taking a deep breath, Hare looked around at his friends one last time and went on.  
  
"There's one other thing that the Phoenix's Tear can do," he said. "The bearer can use it to...alter his or her own appearance. I decided that the best way to throw Naga's troops off my trail was to make myself look like an adult, instead of only being a child...a 'little rabbit'. I used...am using...the Tear to make myself appear to be much older than I really am."  
  
He looked back into the flames of the campfire to avoid the stares of the others. He could especially feel Tiger's golden eyes burning into him. He felt tears come to his eyes and stubbornly held them back, not wanting to break down.  
  
"You mean...you're a..." Suezo stammered.  
  
Hare looked up at him, meeting his gaze almost defiantly. "I'm a kid, yes," he replied, struggling not to cry. "I thought that if I looked older, that others would respect me more. You have no idea what it was like for me at first, after I escaped from Naga. Nobody ever paid any attention to me or let me do anything, just blew me off completely because I was a child, just a silly kid with no real worth to anybody. But once I became an adult, so to speak, they gave me a little more respect. They even let me enter a tournament for the first time in my life. You have no idea how that made me feel, to know that they saw me as strong enough to fight for once!"  
  
"A tournament?" Holly asked, suddenly realizing what Hare was referring to.  
  
"That's where I met up with you guys, as I'm sure you'll remember," Hare confirmed, glancing over at Tiger as if expecting some sort of comment. When none came, he sighed and continued, "I really am sorry about how I treated you guys back then. I wanted to win no matter what, and then afterwards I started feeling really cocky, like my becoming an adult had made me invincible or something. Then, after I tricked you guys and Tiger caught up with me, I thought I was going to die. But...he saved my life. He could have killed me, but he saved me instead. Then, when you said you were going after the Phoenix...I don't know. I just felt like I had to go with you."  
  
"Why?" Holly asked gently.  
  
"I just had to. When I saw how determined you guys were...I just felt that I needed to go with you. I thought that I might be able to help out...both with my plans and the Phoenix's Tear."  
  
"Then why didn't you tell us all this before?" Holly asked. Hare looked over at her, and she could see how close he was to tears.  
  
"Because I knew you'd never believe me," he answered. "I wanted to, at first...but then I thought that if you knew about who I really was...that I was just a little kid, and a fugitive from one of Moo's generals...then you'd tell me to leave. I didn't want to get turned away...so I just kept it hidden. I kind of figured that it wouldn't matter anyway...I thought that Naga would never be able to find me. After all, how could he possible think that the weak little rabbit that got away from him might be traveling with a bunch of rebels?"  
  
Even Genki fell silent at that, and Hare started fidgeting with his pendant again, avoiding the eyes of the others.  
  
"So now you know," he said quietly. "I thought...I hoped that I was done with Naga forever, but I know now that I was wrong. Naga will never rest until I've been recaptured and brought back to him."  
  
"What will happen if you're caught?" Genki asked, almost against his will.  
  
Hare stared back into the flames. "I'll become his slave...his 'little rabbit' once more."  
  
A silence fell over the clearing, and Genki struggled to sort out everything Hare had told them. The rabbit had always been a little unpredictable, but this -this was impossible. Emotions clashed in his heart. Sorrow that Hare had felt such pain. Anger at Naga for continuing to haunt him and dog his footsteps. Fear that the rabbit might be attacked again at any moment. But most of all, he was extremely confused. Was everything that he knew about Hare before a complete lie? Had everything been an act, an illusion kept up by the rabbit to hide from Naga?  
  
Hare got to his feet, his jaw set, a deep sorrow in his eyes. "I'm sorry about lying to you for so long. I...I understand if you want me to leave..." He turned to gather his things.  
  
"Hare, don't-" Holly started to protest, half-rising, but Hare avoided her pleading gaze.  
  
"Hare, we don't want you to leave," Genki said firmly, standing. Hare did look at him, although not straight in the eyes. "Listen to me, Hare: I don't want you to go, and neither do any of the others."  
  
"I know one monster who won't be upset to see me go," Hare muttered, glancing at Tiger. The blue-furred wolf didn't bother to answer that, staring into the forest as if expecting an enemy to appear.  
  
"Hare, stop," Genki repeated, stepping past the fire and seizing the rabbit's shoulders, forcing Hare to look him straight in the eyes. "I don't care about what happened to you before; you're my friend now, and nothing will ever change that. Nothing."  
  
Hare hesitated, then looked back up at Genki with a glimmer of hope in his eyes.  
  
"There's no need for illusions anymore," Genki told him, releasing his shoulders and stepping back. He glanced at the others. "Right, guys?"  
  
"Right," Holly affirmed with a nod and a grin. Suezo mirrored her smile with a grin of his own. Golem nodded silent approval, while Mocchi echoed Genki: "No need-chi!"  
  
Hare looked at the others and smiled, a little sadly. He gripped the crystal firmly with one paw, and for a moment his form shimmered and changed. When the light dimmed, the group was staring at a much younger-looking rabbit, which didn't appear to be much older than Mocchi. He looked around at his friends, a little timidly and uncertain.  
  
Mocchi walked up to Hare, his face a mask of curiosity. The rabbit was about the same size as him now, and the pink monster looked straight into his eyes. "Is that you-chi?" he asked.  
  
Hare nodded mutely, still clutching at the crystal. Mocchi stared at him a moment longer, then his face broke into a grin.  
  
"You're about my age, aren't you?" he trilled excitedly. "This'll be fun!"  
  
Hare smiled at that, and glanced around at the others, who all seemed to be taking this better than he had hoped for. His smile slowly grew wider, and he actually started laughing, caught up by Mocchi's enthusiasm. Golem handed him his kerchief, and he tied it back around his neck, letting its folds cover the Phoenix's Tear once more. Then Mocchi grabbed his paws and started dancing around with him, and the rabbit gave in to the pink monster's excitement, and kept laughing.  
  
* * *  
  
The crescent moon had risen well above the treetops, but Genki remained awake. The boy gazed around the clearing at his friends again, seeing their sleeping forms easily by the light of the flickering campfire.  
  
Mocchi was curled up against his side again, a familiar presence. The little pink monster's face showed his contentment, and Genki smiled down at his friend, leaning into him.  
  
Holly and Suezo had fallen asleep leaning against one another. Holly's head rested on Suezo's leg, and the eyeball monster leaned protectively over her. There was no sign of the injuries he had suffered earlier from the fight, thanks to Holly's medical skills.  
  
Genki's gaze drifted to Golem and Hare. The rock monster had lifted the little rabbit off the ground after he had fallen asleep. The rabbit had to have been exhausted from all that had happened that day. Genki shook his head in disbelief: it would definitely take a while for them to adjust to everything that had been revealed. Still, Genki believed that everything would work out eventually.  
  
"Still awake, kid?"  
  
Genki turned to look at Tiger, who was watching him with those dark golden eyes. The blue-furred wolf's gaze shifted over to the sleeping Hare, then back to Genki.  
  
"Wondering what you're going to do about him now, huh?" he asked.  
  
"What are you talking about, Tiger?" Genki laughed, winking at the blue wolf. "You already know what we're going to do tomorrow: we're going to keep looking for the Phoenix, just like we always do."  
  
"Oh?" Tiger's voice sounded faintly mocking to Genki. "You know we'll have to go after Naga sooner or later. What happens then?"  
  
Genki hesitated, and gazed back at Hare. After a while, he turned back to Tiger and opened his mouth to answer, only to see that the blue wolf seemed to have fallen asleep. "Tiger...?"  
  
No answer came. Genki stared back into the flickering campfire for a long while, as the night gathered around him. An image seemed to appear in the flames, of a slithering reptilian with glowing yellow eyes hovering over the ruins of a village. He shuddered.  
  
"I'll never let Naga hurt you again, Hare," he whispered to the sleeping rabbit. "Never."  
  
Tiger of the Wind watched the boy through narrowed eyes, tiny golden slits that caught and reflected the firelight.  



	6. Shades of Grey Wolf: Accusation

* * * Chapter One: Accusation * * *

"Holly, which way now?" Genki asked, glancing back at his friends.

Holly took out the Magic Stone and asked it to show them the path to the Phoenix. As it levitated above her hands, an image of a fiery bird appeared in its gleaming surface. It transformed into an arrow, pointing ahead of the group, then faded away. Holly looked up at the others expectantly.

"Okay!" Genki exclaimed, turning around and starting down the path. Mocchi raced after his trainer, and the others followed a little more sedately. As they walked along, Holly found herself glancing over at Hare, trying not to let the rabbit catch her staring at him. She still was having trouble dealing with what he had revealed to them only a week before…

__

"I guess I owe you guys some sort of explanation…I wish I could tell you this was just another one of my tricks, but…"

Fragments of what he had told them echoed through her mind. She shivered involuntarily as she thought about what he had said about Naga: what he had suffered at the reptilian's claws and the baddie's plot to overthrow Moo. How Naga had managed to find a powerful weapon he had planned to use against his leader: the Phoenix's Tear. For not the first time, she wondered what would have happened if Naga had been able to use the crystal, or had used Hare to command it…

She glanced over at Hare, scarcely able to believe the change in the rabbit. He had also revealed to the group that he had been using the Tear's power to hide his true age, hoping that the change would throw off Naga's henchmen. He had kept his real age hidden from the others as well, but after he finally explained the truth to them, Genki had convinced him to drop the disguise: _"There's no need for illusions anymore,"_ he had said.

It was strange, somehow, for her to see Hare as a child now: he had 'been an adult' for as long as he had been with the group. She knew that the rabbit hadn't really changed, and that this was just the way he really looked, but she couldn't keep herself from looking at him a little differently.

The others had been having a little trouble adjusting, as well. Genki didn't seem to be as affected as the others were: he seemed to have already accepted the change completely, and still saw Hare the same as before. Mocchi had taken the revelations very well, and in fact was thrilled that he wasn't the only monster in the group that was still in many ways a child.

Suezo was taking it fairly well, in a sense. After learning that simply being near the Phoenix's Tear could help a monster learn its attacks quicker, the eyeball had decided that his best bet for mastering his Teleport was to stay near Hare as much as possible. Even now, he was walking along next to Hare, who seemed to be a little uncomfortable by the other's staying so close to him.

Golem was walking a little too close to Hare as well, but at least his motivations were less self-centered. After learning just how much fear and loneliness the rabbit had felt, the rock monster had become very protective of him. In some ways, Hare seemed to be very grateful for Golem's concern, but Holly couldn't shake the feeling that he was becoming a little too overprotective and worried over the rabbit.

In her eyes, however, Tiger of the Wind's reaction had been the worst. The blue wolf had become even more short-tempered with Hare, and had started arguing with him more often. He began making cruel remarks about the rabbit, and had even started teasing him a few days ago, calling him a freak. Hare's reaction had triggered the Phoenix's Tear, causing what Holly considered to be the strangest day of her life.

She shifted her gaze from Hare to Tiger, and sighed. The blue wolf was loping along at the very edge of the group, some distance away from the others. His golden eyes glittered, and Holly wondered what he was thinking about that made his expression so solemn. As if the wolf monster would let anyone else know what he was feeling. Sometimes she thought that the only emotion that Tiger could show was anger. If that was true, then she felt sorry for him.

Holly glanced back at Hare, then quickly shifted her gaze back to the road when he suddenly looked over at her. Hare sighed to himself: who did Holly think she was kidding? He already knew that she had been staring at him, glancing fleetingly at him every once in a while when she thought her couldn't see her, her soft brown eyes betraying her confusion.

Suezo was hopping along beside him, blathering on about something or other; Hare wasn't paying all that much attention to him. Instead, he kept looking over at Tiger, trying to convince himself that the blue wolf's recent moodiness wasn't connected to what he had revealed. But that was an exercise in futility. Hare could tell that it had been no coincidence that Tiger had become more short-tempered than before right after learning what the rabbit had been hiding.

Not all of it could be pinned on what Hare had revealed to them, he kept telling himself. Tiger had already started drifting away from the others after learning that his younger brother Grey Wolf was one of Moo's generals. The blue wolf starting acting a little more distracted in battle, taking even more risks than he had before. It seemed to Hare that Tiger was being injured in battle more and more lately, and their recent experiences with the Centaurs and Melcarba had given that theory more weight. Then, when the Terror Dogs had attacked Hare, Tiger had nearly been overwhelmed by their assault. Even now the rabbit thought he could see the wolf limping from the wounds he had received in his front left leg, even though the battle had been nearly a week ago.

But Hare's telling the others that he had been keeping a major secret from them had made Tiger's mood deteriorate even more. The wolf was taking advantage of Hare's being a child to treat him like one, making cutting remarks about how weak and immature kids were. It hadn't helped when Suezo had commented that the blue wolf had been, in a sense, defeated by a child in the tournament where they had met; Tiger had nearly ripped the eyeball's head off when he overheard that remark.

Hare sighed again, and turned his attention back to the road. It looked like they were heading deeper into the mountains, which made sense to him; according to what little information they'd been able to gather, Grey Wolf's lair was hidden somewhere on the icy peaks. They had no idea what it looked like, but they would likely recognize it when they came upon it, especially if it was anything like Gali's desert castle had been. He just hoped that they would be ready when the time came to fight.

__

Especially Tiger…

* * *

__

The wind is howling, Tiger thought to himself as a cold breeze ruffled his fur. _Something is about to happen…Grey Wolf…_

* * *

The lair of Grey Wolf was a castle of pure ice; a frozen fortress that seemed to rise from the snowy peaks that surrounded it. Anyone who gazed upon it would be hard pressed to determine where the snow gave way to its gleaming blue walls: it rose from the frigid wilderness around it as if a natural part of it.

Those who knew and feared its master, however, had another theory about its origin: that it was born from the icy darkness that was Grey Wolf's heart. The Cabalos mostly enjoyed this rumor, and often joked darkly about how true it was. Grey Wolf knew of its existence as well, but none of his warriors were certain just how he felt about it. The Cabalos were fairly sure that he found the theory to be quite amusing, but kept their jokes and comments about it to themselves, just in case. The last thing any of the Tiger/Naga hybrids wanted was to accidentally anger their master, even with something so trivial.

There were other rumors about the master as well. Grey Wolf had been acting a little differently lately, and a few of the Cabalos were beginning to worry, although they kept their concerns to themselves so they wouldn't be seen as weak. It was a topic best suited to whispers in the night between close friends, not one ever brought up in public.

The whispers claimed that Grey Wolf was acting oddly because of the approach of the rebels. It was no secret that the seven rebels had come into Grey Wolf's territory, and that he had been sending a few of his best units to eliminate them. Unfortunately, like his two predecessors, Pixie and Gali, all of his efforts had yielded little success thus far. After the group had decimated his Beaclon unit, he had suddenly withdrawn all of his units, sending them to patrol the scattered villages that still remained. Only his Cabalos troops had remained, patrolling near his fortress. It seemed like a grave tactical error on Grey Wolf's part: now the rebels were meeting with practically no resistance as they made their way toward the castle.

The Cabalos didn't understand it, but some of them claimed that they knew the cause of Grey Wolf's actions: Tiger of the Wind. All of Moo's forces had heard of the fact that the former thief and elder brother of Grey Wolf had allied himself with the rebels, although theories as to why varied greatly. Some of them laughed that Tiger was trying to 'help' his little brother by 'liberating' him from Moo's control. Others claimed that the warrior of the wind was actually looking forward to battling with Grey Wolf: an opponent who would more than prove a match for his skills. A few even insisted that Tiger was really working for Moo, and would lead the rebels into Grey Wolf's clutches, then turn on them when the time was right. This last rumor wasn't very popular, as many of its critics pointed out that the blue wolf could have killed them a long time ago if he had so desired.

Not that this criticism kept some monsters from insisting on its truth. At that very moment, one of the Cabalos from the Darkclaw pack was trying to convince his fellow warriors of its truth.

"I swear it's true!" Victor insisted, staring at his pack mates with intense yellow eyes. "Tiger of the Wind is truly a spy for Master Grey Wolf! I have proof!"

"Victor, shut up!" Chishi growled, glaring at the annoying wolf. "We don't have time to listen to your pathetic stories!"

"Go ahead, Victor," Yuri prompted, ignoring Chishi's grimace. The female Cabalos smiled secretively at her commander as she whispered to him, "Just play along and feign interest in what he says. Otherwise Victor will never shut up."

Victor didn't overhear what she had said to Chishi. He was too thrilled in the fact that he had an audience. "Well," he began, "a friend of a cousin of an acquaintance of mine was assigned to a unit that the rebels fought, and he survived the battle. He said that Tiger started yelling at the boy human that he travels with during the fight, then snarled at the girl human when she tried to defend him. I've also heard that he's attacked the rabbit and eyeball monsters from the rebels several times. So he obviously bears no love for these guys…and why would he travel with them if he hates them? One reason alone! He's spying on them and giving the information to Moo's warriors!"

__

Oh please, Chishi thought, rolling his eyes as he tuned out the sound of Victor's voice. As the other continued to explain his conspiracy theories to his disinterested colleagues, Chishi glanced up into the sky. His sharp yellow eyes narrowed suddenly as he noticed a slender silhouette swooping toward the fortress. He recognized the shape, however, and didn't send up the alarm. Still, he watched it as it landed with a practiced ease and entered the fortress through a special doorway.

"Night Flyer's back again," he muttered to Yuri, who glanced up and nodded. "She visits far too often nowadays for my comfort."

"Don't get so upset about it," Yuri whispered back, keeping a careful eye on the still talking Victor. He didn't seem to notice that his audience wasn't paying the least bit of attention to him. "At least her coming here means that Master Naga hasn't forsaken Master Grey Wolf like he did Master Gali. The generals should fight together against the rebel threat, anyway."

Chishi just growled low in his throat and stared back up at the window.

* * *

"It's good to see you again, Night Flyer," Grey Wolf said as the Pixie/Worm hybrid knelt before him. "I trust that you bear news from Master Naga?"

"Yes," Night Flyer said, getting to her feet. "The Terror Dogs have been wiped out by the rebels. Master Naga said that this might interest you."

Grey Wolf smirked. "That is what happens when one fails to recognize the power of one stronger than yourself," he commented. "But I suspect that this is not the entire message that you have brought."

"Correct," Night Flyer nodded. "The Terror Dogs were killed while trying to recapture the rabbit. We know now that he travels with the seven dissenters who have been fighting against Moo."

"It fits," Grey Wolf mused. "Continue."

"Since the rebels are heading toward this fortress, Master Naga has decided to leave their destruction in your paws. He has asked me to inform you that he wants the rabbit caught at any cost. Once you have secured the rabbit, Master Naga will come and retrieve him personally, and you will be well rewarded for your success. As for the other rebels, Master Naga has no use for them."

"Tell Naga that he needn't bother to ask for my assistance," Grey Wolf told her, smirking. His cold blue eyes glittered "He understands that our goals are the same. I will support his plans in any way that I can. My only concern is that he allow me the pleasure of destroying Tiger myself."

"Of course, Master Grey Wolf," Night Flyer replied, bowing. "I will inform Master Naga of your willingness to support him." She turned to leave.

"By the way, Night Flyer," Grey Wolf added, "how are you doing with Vanity?" Night Flyer grimaced, and Grey Wolf chuckled to himself. "I suspected as much. Is she still trying to manipulate her way into power?"

"As always," Night Flyer told him. Her dark eyes narrowed with hatred as she thought of the Pixie/Suezo hybrid. "A better name for her might have been B-" She stopped ranting and flushed a bright crimson as Grey Wolf laughed again. "But I have no right to say such things about a comrade in front of you."

"No matter how true they might be," Grey Wolf deadpanned, causing the pixie hybrid to giggle to herself. "Try not to let her distract you, Night Flyer. If she's able to make you forget your mission, then she'll win. Besides, even if she does become a general, I doubt she'll fare much better than Gali did."

Night Flyer smirked to herself at the thought and bowed to Grey Wolf again. "May you have better success than that fool had," she said as she turned and departed.

"You know I will," Grey Wolf replied.

* * *

Chishi watched Night Flyer's silhouette as it faded into the distance horizon. A low growl rumbled in his throat again, and Yuri glanced at him warningly. Victor was still going on and on about his theory, even though his audience had long since stopped listening to him.

"I don't trust her," Chishi muttered, glaring off to where Night Flyer had gone. "I'm not sure that Naga can be trusted, either."

"Quiet," Yuri growled. "Trustworthy or not, Naga is still one of Moo's Big Bad Four, and the most powerful ally Master Grey Wolf has right now. If you're overheard when you're blaspheming him like this…"

Chishi stared at her. "Would you betray me to anyone?" he asked quietly.

Yuri paused, then shook her head slowly. "No," she answered, "but anyone else might. Like Victor," and she glanced back at the still speaking Cabalos. "You should be careful."

She pressed her muzzle up against Chishi's neck, and he sighed, nodding agreement.

"All right," he replied, gently leaning closer to her. "I'll try to be a little more discreet about what I say…"

A blood-curdling howl ripped through the air, cutting off his words. Most monsters would have panicked and bolted at the sound, but the Cabalos recognized it as being Grey Wolf's way of summoning them. All the hybrids tensed, listening to the howl closely, picking out the exact inflections and tones that were the special code their master used to announce whom he wanted to see.

__

The Darkclaw unit. That's my pack, Chishi thought as he got to his feet. He signaled for Yuri and Victor to follow him as he entered the fortress and made his way through the icy halls. The other members of his pack joined him as he arrived. His pack was one of the smaller ones: there were only fifteen Cabalos in it, as compared to other packs of twenty or thirty. Still, all of his members were fine, expert warriors.

"Sir Chishi, I have a job for you and your pack," Grey Wolf told them, his cold blue eyes flashing. "The rebels are coming here through Frozen Pass. I want you and the Darkclaw pack to find and eliminate them. However, I don't want you to kill Tiger, the girl, or the rabbit that travel with them. I plan to have the desire of killing Tiger all to myself, and Moo is interested in the girl. As for the rabbit, his survival is…a favor for somebody."

"Who?" one of the more dull-witted of Chishi's warriors asked. Grey Wolf glared at him, and the Cabalos quietly withdrew the question.

"That doesn't concern you," he growled. "Now all of you, move out! And when you return, I expect to see those three in your custody!"

He howled, and the Cabalos echoed the cry. Chishi was the first to turn and leave, leading his warriors to Frozen Pass, his thoughts dark.

__

A favor for somebody? Yeah, right. Like many of his fellow Cabalos, Chishi had heard the rumors about just who the rabbit that traveled with the group was. Nobody knew why Naga was so keen on recapturing his little 'pet', but Chishi wasn't about to help that slimy reptilian in any way. As his led his troops toward the pass, he mentally rehearsed what he would tell Grey Wolf: _I'm sorry Master, but I'm afraid the fighting caused an avalanche. None of the rebels survived._ Crude and simple, maybe, but it would suffice. As for the possibility of any of his men blowing the story, well, it would be all the more realistic if only Chishi and Yuri managed to survive the avalanche anyway…

* * *

"The wind is howling, dear brother," Tiger of the Wind whispered into the darkness. "Can you feel it, too, I wonder?"

Hare looked over at him. "Tiger?" he asked. The blue wolf shot him a withering glance.

"What, Hare?" he said with such hostility that Hare winced and unconsciously stepped back a little closer to Golem. Genki glared over at Tiger warningly.

"Don't start," Holly pleaded. Tiger grunted and turned away, wondering why he got into more trouble than Hare did whenever they started fighting lately. The others seemed to have become more and more biased toward the blue wolf lately, or at least that was how he saw it.

Hare looked over at Tiger, worried. He was beginning to despair of ever finding a friend in the blue wolf. It was as if his revealing his secret to the others had strengthened the barrier between the two, and Hare despaired of ever figuring out a way of lowering it again.

"Don't let him get on your nerves," Suezo told him, taking advantage of the opportunity to step a little closer to Hare. The eyeball monster wondered how he would know when the Phoenix's Tear had given him a new attack, and if he would feel anything. Hare wondered how the others would react if he pushed Suezo away: the other monster was a little too close for his own comfort.

Suddenly Tiger stopped short, tensing, his nose twitching. "I smell something," he informed the others.

"He who smelt it…" Suezo started, but Tiger silenced him with a glare.

"Cabalos," he muttered. The other rebels tensed at the word.

"Are you sure?" Holly asked. Tiger didn't bother to look at her, but he nodded his head ever so slightly.

"All right then," Genki said, pulling on his rollerblades. "Everyone get ready."

Mocchi walked up next to Genki and took a battle position, while Holly stepped back behind Golem. Growling softly, Tiger moved in front of Genki and Mocchi, golden eyes scanning the area. Suezo looked at the others, gulped and moved closer to Holly.

"Hurry up and get back here, Hare," he whispered. Hare just stared at him, shocked.

"What do you mean? I can fight…"

"Just get back here," Holly said. Hare looked at her and the others, stunned.

__

They don't think I can fight anymore. Just because I'm a kid…

The thought enraged Hare. Hadn't he proven his worth in battle before? Just because he'd dropped the illusion of being an adult didn't mean that he had somehow lost his battle skills! Whirling on his heel, he stalked up next to Mocchi and assumed a fighting stance. If the younger monster could help fight, then so could he.

* * *

Chishi cursed as he watched the rebels prepare for battle. It was a stroke of bad luck that Tiger of the Wind had picked up on the scent of his warriors. Still, Chishi wasn't about to let a minor setback like this prevent him from wiping out the rebels. Turning to his troops, he signaled for them to move him with a howl.

* * *

The howl resounded through the mountain pass, and the rebels looked around nervously as it echoed off of the thick ice walls. Only Tiger wasn't affected by the terrifying sound, and he grimaced at the others.

"Don't show your fear," he growled at them. Then he whirled back around and tensed as he finally caught sight of the Cabalos pack. He counted about fifteen of the tiger hybrids stalking toward them. He unleashed his lightning at the obvious leader, then dashed toward the pack.

Chishi easily dodged the blast, and his warriors scattered behind him as the lightning ripped past them. Howling, he leaped toward Tiger, and kept him busy while the other Cabalos slipped past and attacked the other rebels.

"Down with the baddies!" Genki yelled, skating forward. Mocchi and Hare raced after him, following his lead as he surged into the battle. Genki lashed out and caught one right in the mouth, and Victor yelped as he fell backward, blood dripping from his muzzle. Another one of the Cabalos snapped at Genki's leg, grazing it, but was knocked away by Hare's kick.

"You okay?" he asked, helping the boy to his feet. When Genki nodded, he smiled and turned back to the fight. Mocchi had unleashed his petal blizzard, and the rabbit took advantage of the temporary cover to glance over at where Tiger was fighting the Cabalos commander. The two wolf monsters were locked in combat, and neither once seemed to have a clear advantage over the other.

"TORPEDO!" Chishi screamed, then growled in frustration as it streaked over Tiger's head as the blue wolf faded to the right and lashed out at him. The Cabalos ducked under the swiping paw and managed to strike the other's face with his own claws.

Tiger shook off the blow, then roared at the top of his lungs, summoning a gale that pushed Chishi away. Digging his claws into the snow, the hybrid launched his lightning right into its center. Tiger's roar was cut off as the energy surged right into his mouth, and the blue wolf fell backward, coughing and choking. Pressing his advantage, Chishi charged his lightning again.

"Tiger!" Hare cried out, starting toward the blue wolf. Hearing his shout, Chishi turned and grinned, spotting the smaller monster.

"The little rabbit," he growled, and Hare stopped short, startled.

"What?" he asked, hesitating. _Was this guy one of Naga's warriors?_

Sneering, Chishi leaped toward him. Tiger slammed into the Cabalos's back, knocking him to the ground, and dug his teeth into purple fur. Another howl ripped through the air, and Yuri unleashed her lightning on Tiger, sending the blue wolf sprawling. Hare cried out and ran to Tiger's side.

"LIGHTNING!" Chishi called, and the energy bolt hit Hare right in the back. The little rabbit couldn't even scream as he was flung backward and collided with the canyon wall. The force of his impact knocked some snow loose, and it showered the rabbit's fur as he slumped down against the icy surface, eyes closed.

"Hare!" Genki called, seeing the rabbit crumple to the ground. Before he could react, however, three of the Cabalos surrounded him and used their lightning. The boy screamed as electrical energy coursed through his body.

Victor grinned to himself: Surely he and his two friends would receive some sort of promotion for this! Suddenly the smile was knocked off his face as Mocchi slammed into him, and his lightning dissipated as he lost his concentration.

His leader wasn't having any better luck with Tiger. The blue wolf was savagely attacking Chishi, keeping the Cabalos on the defensive. Yuri turned her torpedo on Tiger, and raced to her commander's side as the other fell back.

"We should go!" she exclaimed. Chishi glared at her with dull yellow eyes.

"Not now," he protested, trying to pull away from her. But the movement made his muscles scream in pain, and he collapsed, leaning heavily against her.

"Retreat!" Yuri ordered, helping Chishi run away as fast as they could. Victor and the other Cabalos glanced at the rebels and followed them. The fifteen warriors of the Darkclaw pack fled, some glad that all of them had survived, but most of them too enraged about having to flee to care.

Golem was the first to reach Hare. The gentle rock monster leaned down beside the rabbit's crumpled form and carefully pulled him out of the snow. He cradled the rabbit in his massive hands as Genki, Holly, Mocchi and Suezo gathered around him.

"He's all right," Holly said, feeling his heartbeat, slow but strong. "But I don't know how long he'll be out like this."

"So let's go," Tiger interrupted, turning to leave. The other rebels stared at him.

"What?" Genki asked.

"I said let's get moving," Tiger repeated. "The sooner we leave here, the sooner we can get to Grey Wolf's fortress. Then I can finally settle this."

"But I don't think Hare's in any condition to travel," Holly said. "We should wait until he recovers, at least…"  


"That's his problem, not mine. He should have watched himself better during the fight. It's his own fault this happened."

Genki couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Tiger, we're not going anywhere until all of us are okay," he told the blue wolf.

"Some things are more important than fighting," Holly added. "You'll just have to wait."

"I'm not waiting," Tiger growled, his back still turned to them. He started to walk off, and Genki got to his feet.

"Tiger, why are you so heartless?" Genki demanded, glaring at the blue wolf's back. Tiger froze and whirled to stare back at him, golden eyes flashing.

"Is that truly how you see me?" he whispered to himself, too soft for the others to overhear. Growling, he whirled around and dashed off, disappearing in a whirl of snow.

"Tiger!" Genki called, staring after the wolf monster's image as it faded from sight. The wind seemed to howl for a moment, then died down to a softer breeze. Tiger of the Wind was gone.


	7. Shades of Grey Wolf: Separation

* * * Chapter Two: Separation * * *

Hare looked around, confused. _Where am I?_ He wasn't in the mountains anymore, that much he could tell. He gazed around the massive chamber, astonished. The entire room looked like it was made of ice, like it had been carved directly into a glacier. A terrible chill came over him, and he blew into his paws to keep them from freezing.

His ears twitched, picking up some sort of commotion coming from nearby. Noticing a doorway, Hare walked through it and found himself in some sort of hallway. Shivering, he wandered around in the maze-like corridors, making his way toward the noise. The frozen walls loomed over him, and he got the overwhelming feeling that they somehow trapped him. Just when he began to fear that he was going to be lost and wandering in the endless passages forever, he found himself standing before a massive door of purest ice. The noise was coming from the other side. Hare pushed on the door as hard as he could, and felt a rush of relief as it slowly opened.

He froze, paralyzed by fear. Grey Wolf was standing a few feet away, his silver fur seeming to glow with the cold light that filled the massive chamber of ice. His blue eyes looked even colder than the frozen walls around them. Hare stared at him, petrified, and waited to die.

But Grey Wolf didn't seem to notice him at all. It was like the rabbit wasn't standing just a few feet away from him. Instead, his icy eyes were fixed on something crumpled in front of him. Hare gasped aloud as recognition hit.

Tiger of the Wind was sprawled out at Grey Wolf's feet, but he no longer resembled his proud self. The wolf monster's beautiful blue-white fur was scorched from lightning and stained with his own blood, the same blood that was slowly forming shallow crimson pools beneath his crumpled, broken form. His mouth gaped open in a silent scream, his jaw half-shattered.

But the most horrible thing was his eyes. The stern golden eyes were wide open with a blank terror Tiger had never shown before, staring without seeing into an endless oblivion. Hare stared at him in silent horror, unable to tear his eyes away as the wolf's body shimmered and slowly began to change into a mystery disc.

Grey Wolf howled in triumph, and the sound sent chills through Hare's body. Then the silver wolf finally noticed the rabbit, and leered at him. His blue eyes glittered as he slowly advanced on the petrified Hare…

* * *

"GAH!" Hare jolted awake with a start. As his vision cleared, he could see Golem's worried face hovering over him. Hare sat up, realizing that he was cradled in the rock monster's huge hands, and stared up at Golem.

"Are you alright?" Golem asked. "You were screaming…"

"Nothing…a dream…I'm okay," Hare replied slowly, shaking off the effects of the vision. Glancing around, he could see Genki and the others nearby, and all of them were staring at him with concern. But there was one face he didn't see. "Where's Tiger?"

Holly's expression darkened, and she quietly said, "He left. He went off to face Grey Wolf alone."  
  
"What?" Hare stared at her, wide-eyed. He struggled to stand up, saying "We have to go…" But his feet refused to hold him, and he collapsed back into Golem's hands.

"We will," Holly assured him, "after we're sure it's safe for you to travel. You took a really nasty blow back there."

"Don't worry, Tiger can take care of himself," Genki said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if he defeats Grey Wolf and comes back on his own!" Suezo chimed in.

"But he can't!" Hare insisted, trying to block out the image of Tiger's beaten body at Grey Wolf's feet. He went to stand again, and Suezo moved to stop him.

"Hey, now don't try…" he started to scold as he tried to make the rabbit lay back down again by pushing him down gently with his leg.

The words froze in his mouth, lost the moment he made contact with Hare's body. A series of images flooded his mind, nearly overwhelming him. Visions of icy halls and endless passages…and of Tiger. Suezo gasped aloud, and stumbled backwards. The second he stopped touching Hare, the flood was abruptly cut off.

"Suezo?" Holly gasped, seeing the haunted expression on the eyeball monster's face. He turned to look at her, color slowly returning to his face.

"Hare's…right," he choked, near tears. "I saw it…"

"Suezo?" Holly asked, glancing at Genki, Mocchi and Golem. The others seemed to be equally taken aback by the sudden change in the eyeball's attitude.

"We have to find Tiger," Hare repeated, "or Grey Wolf will kill him. Tiger may be a warrior, but he'll never be able to murder his own little brother. If we're not there for him when Grey Wolf attacks…"

Holly went pale and looked at Suezo. The eyeball monster nodded slowly, his expression unusually solemn.

"I saw it," he repeated, his voice faint. "Tiger really was…"

"Then let's go find him!" Genki exclaimed, leaping to his feet.

"But…" Holly faltered, glancing back at Hare as the little rabbit struggled to stand up again. His face was flushed bright red from the effort, and it was painfully obvious to even Genki that he was in no condition to travel.

"All right. Hare, you stay with Holly and Golem," Genki decided. As Hare stared up at him and started to protest, Genki said, "No, don't start. I won't risk you getting hurt. Mocchi and Suezo will come with me. We'll find Tiger, don't worry about it!" he finished with a wink.

At any other time, Suezo would probably have protested being told to follow Genki into such obvious danger, but the image of Tiger's dying body was freshly burned into his memory. Instead of arguing the point, he simply nodded, then turned to Golem and asked him to make certain that Holly would be safe. Golem quietly promised that he would.

"Be careful, Suezo," Holly told him. "You too, Mocchi. Don't let Genki get too out of control."

"Huh?" Genki stared at her while Suezo laughed and assured her that he'd try, but he wouldn't make any promises. Then Genki turned and started off toward where Tiger had gone, Mocchi and Suezo behind him.

"You guys?" Hare asked, his voice soft and weak. "You guys be careful…you guys…"

Then his eyes slowly shut, and Holly and Golem exchanged worried glances.

* * *

A howl of rage echoed through the cavern.

"Why did you force us to retreat? Victory could have been ours!"

Yuri returned her leader's gaze defiantly, and her voice was much calmer than his was as she replied, "The battle was going badly. You may have knocked down one of them, but the others were on the verge of destroying some of our pack. I sounded the retreat to avoid losing them. Are you saying that I was wrong to aid our tribe-mates?"

Chishi growled darkly, unable to reply, and the other Cabalos exchanged glances. One of them, an experienced fighter with scars covering his legs and chest, leaned over to the hybrid closest to him and whispered, "This is gonna be good."

"Quiet, Scar," his companion warned him.

"Pack members shouldn't fight one another," Victor lamented, staring at Chishi and Yuri with an increasing sense of worry. "If only we'd been able to defeat those rebels…"

"What do we do now?" Reno, a younger Cabalos, piped up. As Chishi and Yuri continued their battle of wills, the other twelve Cabalos stared at the youngster and exchanged worried glances._ What, indeed? Master Grey Wolf would not be pleased that they had failed in their mission…_

"Look at your warriors," Yuri whispered to Chishi. "They fear Master Grey Wolf's reaction to our defeat, and rightly so. As leader, you should find a way to assuage their fears."

Chishi grimaced at her: like it or not, she was right. But he had no idea how he would do that. Grey Wolf would have their necks if they had nothing to show for their mission…A noise outside distracted him, and his ears perked up. The other Cabalos heard it too, and they fell quiet as they listened to the far-off noises…

"Tiger! Tiger, where are you?"

"Tiger-chi!"

"Tiger of the Wind! Come on out!"

Chishi's grimace twisted into a grin, and he turned to face his warriors. "I have a plan…" he told them…

* * *

"Come out, come out wherever you are," Suezo called, scanning the area around him. All he could see was Genki, Mocchi, and snow. Lots and lots of snow, spreading out in all directions, a seemingly endless landscape of white. The only other things he could see were the mountains that rose on either side of them, blocking his view. No sign of anything blue.

"Hey Tiger!" Genki yelled, and Mocchi echoed the boy: "Tiger-chi!" Their voices resounded through the cliffs, and the three strained to hear any answer that might be coming. Nothing. This was quickly becoming more than a little discouraging for them. Suezo began to wonder if he should have stayed with the others: at this point, he would have gladly preformed an 'aerial search' with Golem's help if it had meant catching a glimpse of Tiger of the Wind.

"Let's keep moving," Genki ordered, and as the three trudged on, Suezo's mood worsened. His body type just wasn't meant for trudging through waist-deep snowdrifts, and he kept thinking that he could feel ice cracking beneath him. If something gave way and he ended up falling, there wasn't much of a chance that Genki or Mocchi would be able to save him. He had a suddenly vivid vision of himself plummeting down a mountainside, with his two companions watching him helplessly as he fell farther and farther away from them…Suezo quickly cut off that line of thinking before it could make him even more nervous than he was already.

Genki was calling out Tiger's name again, and Suezo felt a sudden rush of anger toward the blue wolf. It was all his fault that they were out here; him and that lousy temper of his. Tiger didn't even really seem to care about them anymore, anyway. Ever since learning that his brother was a baddie, and one of Moo's top warriors at that, Tiger had become awfully harsh toward the others. Suezo couldn't help but think that maybe it was for the best that he had left…

Scratch that. Tiger was their best fighter, and Suezo knew that they were at a serious disadvantage without the blue wolf's battle skills. Oh sure, Genki was a pretty decent fighter, even if the kid did tend to rush into things, and Mocchi and Hare were very skilled considering their ages. Even Suezo could get a few good blows in from time to time, if the others were already fighting.

But Tiger was different: Tiger was the expert fighter in the group. When the blue wolf was fighting, Suezo became painfully aware of just how powerful their companion was, and how much of a difference he made in the group. The eyeball had thought that constantly during the encounter with the Centaurs, in particular, and he couldn't shake the thought now.

And there was the little matter of the vision. Suezo shuddered with the memory. How the heck had that nasty little image gotten into his mind anyway? He'd certainly never allowed himself to think that any of his companions might die before; at least, not when they weren't fighting for their lives against the baddies. So how…?

__

Aaahhhooooo!

The group of two monsters and one kid froze. "Is that what I think it is?" Suezo stammered, his eye wide with fear.

His answer came in the form of a bum rush, as fifteen Cabalos surged out of a nearby cave and toward the group.

* * *

Hare gasped, his eyes snapping open. _When had he fallen asleep?_ He groaned and sat up, still cradled in Golem's massive hands. _For crying out loud…that's been happening to me way too often lately, _he thought to himself.

Golem had noticed that his charge had woken up. "Are you okay?" he rumbled. Hare groaned in reply and covered his ears: the rock monster's voice was gentle, but far from being quiet. Realizing his mistake, Golem fell silent again.

"Feeling better?" Holly asked, and Hare looked over at her. The girl had managed to start a fire nearby, and was trying to warm her hands. Since Golem had been holding him so close to his own body, however, the rabbit wasn't really cold, and remained sitting in the rock monster's palm.

"They haven't got back yet?" Hare asked, trying to hide the fear in his voice and failing. Holly shook her head.

"They should be back soon," she told him, although all three of them knew she had no way of guaranteeing that. Sighing, Hare slumped back down into Golem's hands. He wasn't in any pain anymore, but he was still a little tired.

__

Surely there wasn't anything to what I dreamt, he thought to himself as he forced himself to relax again. He started to drift back to sleep…

When a blood-curdling howl shattered the quiet air.

Golem was on his feet at once, picking up Holly from her place beside the fire. She looked at Hare for a moment, eyes betraying her sudden fear, and then the two carefully peeked out of the safety of Golem's hands.

"Hear me, searchers!" a commanding voice howled, and Golem pivoted to face in the direction where it had come from. Standing some distance away from them was a Cabalos, his yellow eyes gleaming as he glared at the group. Golem grimaced and tensed up, waiting to see what would happen.

"Hear me, and listen well, rebels!" the baddie called to them. "I am Chishi, leader of the Darkclaw pack, and I bring you a message from Master Grey Wolf! It concerns Tiger of the Wind!"

Holly gasped, and she and Hare exchanged frightened looks. Golem's expression grew even sterner, and he moved his arms slightly so they would shield his two friends a little more.

Chishi leered at the group as he said, "Listen well, searchers. We have captured the boy Genki, as well as your other two monster friends. However, we have not killed them…yet. Master Grey Wolf is very generous, and will give you a chance to save them." That made the Cabalos grimace: he had wanted to kill the three, but Yuri had insisted that they take them back to Grey Wolf, and the master had taken up matters from there.

"Master Grey Wolf wants Tiger of the Wind to be at his fortress before sundown. You'll find a trail that leads there if you keep heading this way. Master Grey Wolf wants to see his beloved elder brother again, and…catch up on things."

Holly winced: she recognized the true meaning of the words.

"Tiger of the Wind must be at Master Grey Wolf's fortress before sundown," Chishi continued, "or the master will have to focus his attentions…elsewhere. At sunset, if Tiger has not arrived, then the boy dies. After that, we wait again until sunrise before killing one of your little monster friends. Then the other will die by the time the sun completes its journey through the sky one more time. Master Grey Wolf is very kind: even if you are late, you will still have a chance to save at least one of your friends."

The three travelers were staring at him, stunned. Good. It pleased Chishi to no end to see the fear in their eyes. Throwing back his head, he howled once more, then was gone into the swirling snow.

Hare, Holly and Golem were alone in the mountains, staring at one another in silent horror. None of them needed to speak; the question hung over them like the chill in the air.

__

What now?


	8. Shades of Grey Wolf: Revalation

* * * Chapter Three: Revelation * * *

"Tiger! TIGER!" Holly called.

"Holly, it's no use," Hare said bleakly. "He could be anywhere in this mountain range. Statistically speaking, our chances of finding him before the sun sets are…" he glanced at the sun, which already hung low in the sky, "about nil."

"Don't say that!" Holly screamed at him, even though she knew that he was right. Tears of helpless frustration were rolling down her cheeks, and she swirled back around and screamed the blue wolf's name again. Hare and Golem exchanged worried looks.

"Tiger of the Wind, you get back here right now! We need you…please Tiger, you can't abandon us now! Mocchi…Genki…Suezo…!" Sobbing, Holly fell to her knees in the snow and cried out her rage and frustration. She began to pound her fists on the soft snow, her shoulders shaking as she choked out, "Why? Why? Why? Why? Why?" She repeated the word over and over, like some sort of hopeless mantra.

"Holly…" Golem murmured, leaning over and gently lifting her from the ground. Hare slid off of his perch on the giant's shoulder and placed his paws on the girl's trembling shoulders.

"Holly…I have a plan," he told her gently.

Holly stopped sobbing, and she lifted a tear-streaked face to gaze into his eyes. "W-what?" was all she could manage.

"We have to rescue the others, Tiger or no," he said. "I think I can find a way to sneak into Grey Wolf's fortress."

"How?" she asked, and Hare shuddered involuntarily.

"Naga used to send spies to the castles of the other members of the Big Bad Four," he explained. "He kept maps of all the secret entrances and such that his spies found. He wanted to be prepared in case any of them tried to oppose him while he was taking over. I used to look at those maps myself, in case I ever got a chance to escape while he was visiting one of them. I'm pretty sure I can remember the one he had for Grey Wolf's castle well enough to find us a way in."

Holly's face lit up for a moment, then fell again as she said, "But you're not strong enough…"

"Since when?" Hare suddenly snapped, glaring at her. Holly and Golem stared at him, taken aback. "Since when have I been too weak to help out? Ever since you found out I was a kid?"

"What?" Holly stammered. "What do you…"

"Ever since I told you guys that I wasn't an adult, you've been treating me like I was somebody else!" Hare exploded, finally saying what he had suspected for nearly a week. "Okay, so I'm not as old as you thought I was! So I was hiding some of my powers from you because I didn't know how you'd react! But that doesn't really make me any different than I was before, does it? Now all of a sudden I'm 'just a child', too weak to fight anymore? All of a sudden I've become practically useless to you guys. You don't really listen to me anymore, you ignore my plans, and you treat me like some sort of helpless child!"

Hare was the one sobbing now, his shoulders shaking violently as he cried out all of the frustration that had been building inside of him for nearly a week. Holly and Golem exchanged guilty glances.

"Even Mocchi gets to help out, but you won't let me anymore," he said miserably. "I'm just not seen the same by you guys anymore…"

"Hare…" Holly said, gently reaching over to the crying rabbit. Her fingers ran over his cheeks, brushing away his tears, and he looked up at her. "You know…you're not that weak," she told him.

"Then why…"

"We're just worried about you," Holly replied, her smile a little sad. "I admit that I have been treating you a little differently; we all have. It's just that it's a little hard to adjust to such a major change in you. But I know that you're the same as you always have been. You just look a little different now…"

Hare brushed away his tears and looked up at her, then over at Golem.

"If I made you feel like you were unwanted, then I'm sorry," Holly apologized. "But we really do need you, Hare. You're a part of the team, and nothing will ever change that."

"Promise?" Hare asked.

"Yes, I promise," Holly said, smiling. Golem nodded his agreement, and Hare's expression brightened for a moment. Then the rabbit's face became serious again.

"We should get going," he said, looking toward the slowly sinking sun. Holly and Golem nodded, and the three started off toward Grey Wolf's fortress.

* * *

"Ninety-nine bottles of sake on the wall, ninety-nine bottles of sake, take one down, pass it around, ninety-eight bottles of sake on the wall. Ninety-eight bottles…"

"Do you _have_ to sing that silly song?" Genki asked. Suezo glared at him.

"Well, at least I'm doing _something,_" Suezo snapped, "instead of waiting until the baddies decide to kill us."

"That stupid song won't help us out," Genki insisted, getting to his feet. "There's got to be a way out of this!"

"Good luck. We tried everything you could think of earlier. Unless you have another brilliant plan," Suezo mocked.

"At least I thought of something, and didn't just start singing some stupid song!"  


"Oh yeah?"  


"Yeah!"

"Knock it off-chi," Mocchi interrupted. "You sound like Tiger-chi and Hare."

Suezo and Genki both stared at the little monster, much chastened. "Sorry," they both mumbled, and retreated back to separate corners of the frozen cell. After a few moments of silence, a soft mumble came from Suezo's direction.

"Ninety-eight bottles of sake on the wall, ninety-eight bottles of sake…"

* * *

"…Take one down, pass it around, sixty-six bottles of sake on the wall," Victor sang to himself as he stared out into the mountains. The sun was hanging low in the sky, and there was no sign of anything moving out there.

"I'm bored," he groaned. "Bored bored bored bored bored. I wish something would happen…" After a few more moments, his head drooped down and he began to snore.

* * *

"Looks like the coast is clear," Hare informed Holly and Golem as he led them to a certain spot against the ice fortress's wall. He ran his paws over the smooth surface, and smiled as he felt something give. Nodding to the others, he pressed the hidden switch and stepped back as it swung open.

"This way," he said, and led the others in. Golem had to duck his head to fit into the passage, but was pleased to discover that the hallway widened shortly after they entered.

"How will we find where Genki and the others are?" Holly asked.

"I'm…not sure," Hare faltered. "When we rescued you, we used one of your scarves to give Tiger your scent. But…we'll just have to wing it this time."

"Oh," Holly said quietly, and she unconsciously gripped the Magic Stone. Hare stared at her, his eyes lighting up.

"That's it!" he whispered. "Holly, can you ask the Magic Stone to show us the way to where the others are?"

"I don't know, I've never used it like that before," she replied.

"But you said once that the Magic Stone reacted when you met each of us," Hare persisted. "It can't hurt to try."

"That's right," Holly nodded, and she closed her eyes to concentrate. Hare and Golem watched intensely as she quietly bade the Magic Stone to point them in the right direction. Hare quietly gripped his own pendant and prayed that this would work.

For a moment nothing happened, and Holly felt her confidence start to slip. Suddenly it lit up, and the fiery image of the Phoenix flickered inside of it. Holly felt a rush of elation as the bird became a pointing arrow.

"You did it, Holly!" Hare told her, matching her excitement. "Let's get moving!"

The three plunged deeper into the fortress, navigating its frozen halls with the help of the Magic Stone. However, Hare began to get a strange feeling that he'd done this before…Suddenly he froze, his throat tightening as he remembered. Holly and Golem stopped to look at him, confused.

"Hare?" Holly asked.

"My dream…" Hare breathed. "I was here before in my dream! The one where…" he froze, then whirled to face the others and said, "I have to find Tiger."

"What?"

"He's here, I know it!" Hare insisted. "This is exactly where I was when I dreamt about his being killed! He's here right now, fighting Grey Wolf!"

"But Hare…" Holly started to say.

"I have to find him," he said, staring up at her with pleading eyes. "You guys go find Genki and the others; let me look for Tiger. Please…"

"I…"

"Let him go, Holly," Golem spoke up behind her, and his two companions looked up at him, surprised.

"Golem…thank you," Hare said, turning to run. As he left, it called back, "I'll meet up with you guys later."

"Be careful," Holly called, staring after him as he raced off.

* * *

It was just like the dream. Hare could remember every twist and turn in the fortress as clearly as if he had lived in the fortress all his life. When he arrived at a massive door of pure ice, he flung his shoulder against it, forcing it open.

What greeted him was a scene from a nightmare. Grey Wolf was there, slowly advancing on an obviously injured Tiger of the Wind. The blue wolf bled from several wounds on his back and legs, although he had managed to avoid any fatal blows. He watched as his younger brother slowly advanced on him, growling, but unable to bring himself to attack the silver wolf.

"Where is all your strength now, big brother?" Grey Wolf asked, leering at Tiger. His cold blue eyes glittered in the dim light, giving him all the appearance of a demon. Lightning coursed around his horns, and he opened his mouth to call out his final attack.

And Hare screamed at the top of his lungs. "_NOOOOO!_"

Grey Wolf's head jerked up, and the silver-furred monster stared at the rabbit. Behind him, Tiger gave Hare a look similar to the one his little brother was giving him.

Hare felt the Phoenix's Tear burst into light, and he cried out in shock, stumbling backwards as pure energy coursed out of it.

Grey Wolf screamed as the beam struck him full in the chest and the glowing red flames encased his body. Hare watched in morbid fascination as the silver wolf's pelt seemed to ripple and change colors under the light.

"You idiot, what have you done?" Tiger howled, whirling on the little rabbit. Hare threw him a blank, helpless look, struggling to indicate that he wasn't trying to do this. The blue wolf snarled at him, then jerked his gaze toward Grey Wolf and cried out, "Little brother!"

Grey Wolf howled again, his fur now clearly becoming two separate colors under the magical fire. The beautiful silver fur seemed to be slowly melting away, and both Hare and Tiger gasped as they saw the rich purple shade beneath it. The ice blue eyes flashed gold, then purest crimson, then blue, then gold again, as if unable to decide on a certain color.

Hare stared at the sight, petrified, and even Tiger had frozen, staring at what was looking less and less like his younger brother. The light flashed brighter and brighter, blinding, and the two squeezed their eyes shut. Grey Wolf's scream echoed around them.

Then suddenly the light vanished, and what had been Grey Wolf collapsed in a heap on the cold ice floor. Tiger and Hare stared at the crumpled form for a few moments, stunned, and then finally the blue wolf reacted. A growl escaped from his lungs as he howled, "What have you done to my brother?! What have you done to Grey Wolf?!"

The crumpled form groaned and twitched, then opened dark golden eyes to stare up into Tiger's enraged face.

"What have you done to my brother?" Tiger growled again, glaring down at the sprawled out Cabalos. "Who are you? Where's my brother?"

The Tiger/Naga hybrid smirked up at the blue wolf, despite the pain it obviously caused him to do so. "The name is Kaze, whelp," he hissed.

"What happened to my brother?" Tiger repeated, striking the Cabalos across the muzzle with his claws. "ANSWER ME!"

Kaze ignored Tiger's half-hysterical demands, and instead gazed over at Hare, a leering grin on its bleeding face. "Sooo…you're Master Naga's 'little rabbit,' huh? Not much to look at…but I understand now why he wants you back so badly."

Hare shivered and involuntarily stepped backward. He froze as he felt a presence at his back, and whirled to run, only to stare into Genki's face. The boy stepped protectively in front of the rabbit, and the others took positions between the Cabalos and him as they arrived.

Tiger glared down at Kaze. "ANSWER ME!" he demanded again, lightning dancing around his horns in a warning.

"Think you can frighten me?" Kaze laughed, coughing up blood. "I hold no illusions about escaping from your sorry band with my life. But," he added with a leer, "I'll go ahead and tell you anyway. You might as well find out about my master's genius…"

"What do you mean?" Genki asked, staring at the dying baddie. Kaze just smirked at him.

"Master Grey Wolf is dead. He has been for months," he told them.

"WHAT?" Genki, Holly and Suezo exclaimed in unison. Golem and Mocchi stared at the Cabalos, stunned.

"It can't be!" Tiger growled, striking the purple wolf's muzzle again, sending blood splattering over the ice. Kaze grinned up at him.

"Oh, but it is," he said with a superior smirk. "You see, Master Naga never was very found of that silver wolf, as I'm certain your little rabbit could tell you." He leered at Hare, who had gone totally pale at his words. "Grey Wolf interfered too much with Master Naga's plans…thought that he was a lunatic."

"He is," Hare mumbled, shivering. Holly draped her arms around the rabbit's neck, and he leaned up against her, staring at Kaze.

"Grey Wolf was proving to be a real annoyance," Kaze continued. "He may have even become an impediment to Master Naga's grand ambitions. So Master Naga secretly murdered that stupid silver wolf, and had an illusion cast on one of his most devoted followers to make him look like that fool." Kaze's sneer grew wider, more distorted.

"A illusion?" Holly gasped.

"A very effective illusion, one that fooled even Master Moo himself," Kaze told them, "although some of that can be attributed to my acting skills. With me controlling Grey Wolf's forces, Master Naga has become even more powerful. He needs only one more thing to ensure that his revolt against Moo will succeed…"

He glanced over at Hare, who winced and buried his face in Holly's tunic. The girl glared at the Cabalos, and Genki moved to stand a little closer to them, eyes never leaving Kaze.

"Who would have thought…the damned Phoenix's Tear…could dispel my illusion," Kaze wheezed, his breath coming more slowly now. "I never…thought of that…an oversight on my part. I had thought…I could easily defeat…Tiger…thanks to my being…his 'little brother'…" A sneer came over his face, and he leered up at Tiger, his vision dimming.

"Naga will triumph!" Kaze howled suddenly, then gasped hard, his chest heaving. "The power…the 'little rabbit'…and this world…will belong to Lord Naga!"

"SHUT UP!" Tiger ordered, growling, his golden eyes flashing. The Cabalos leered up at him.

"Never…'brother'…" he mocked, then began to laugh, a horrible, wheezing laugh that resounded off the frozen walls and chilled Genki's blood. Tiger roared, and the room echoed with the explosion from his lightning.

"Still laughing?" Tiger growled at the lost disc. He paused for a moment, then hissed, "I thought not…"

The fortress of Grey Wolf was eerily silent for several heartbeats. Tiger stood with his back toward the others, glaring off into the distance. The only noise that could be heard was Hare's sobbing as he clung to Holly, trembling. The girl wrapped her arms tighter around the rabbit, and then she looked up at the others. No one spoke.

Finally Tiger of the Wind muttered, without turning to look at the others, "Holly. Check the Magic Stone."

An awkward silence fell over the rebels again as Holly quietly nodded. She gently released Hare's shoulders, but allowed the rabbit to keep holding onto her for comfort as she pulled out the Magic Stone. It glowed brightly as she called upon its power, and after a few seconds an image of the Phoenix appeared. It transformed into an arrow, pointing the way. She tucked it back into her tunic and gazed at the others, expectantly.

"Let's go," Tiger growled, and he turned and stalked out of the chamber. The other rebels followed him quietly, and for once Genki didn't race to the head of the group. Instead, he walked close to Holly, keeping an eye on Hare. The rabbit still clung to Holly, and the girl draped one arm around his quaking shoulders as they followed Tiger of the Wind out of the frozen fortress of Grey Wolf.


	9. Nightscapes: Sleeping

__

Nightscapes

* * * Chapter One: Sleeping * * *

The rabbit's breath came in short gasps as he ran forward, plunging deeper into the darkness. He had no idea how he had gotten there or why, he only knew that something horrible was behind him and would catch him if he stopped.

In front of him, shadows stretched into darkness, darkness faded into blackness, blackness became oblivion. The rabbit squinted into the darkness, hoping to see some sort of end to this –a 'light at the end of the tunnel', so to speak. He couldn't see anything at all, but that didn't keep him from running on.

Strange noises echoed all around him, though he couldn't see their sources. Not that this was necessarily a bad thing, the rabbit told himself. Whatever was causing those screams and wails was not something he wanted to meet. Ethereal fingers reached out for him from the darkness, brushing against his fur, and he bit back a scream: it felt like someone was pressing ice against him. The darkness was so cold, so unbearably cold…

It was closing in on him. He couldn't breathe. He couldn't cry.

The shadows reached out, enveloped him, held him. His body froze: he couldn't move, couldn't run anymore. Whatever it was that was chasing him came closer and closer, until he could feel it behind him, a cold chill that froze his body even past the numbness.

He found himself able to move, but only his head, and he looked over his shoulder at the blackness. Something long and sharp gleamed in the darkness, and was raised into the air by ethereal hands.

Hare found his voice. "Genki, where are you?" he whispered, his voice soft, weak.

The silver light lanced down toward his unprotected, unresisting back. Hare's eyes widened, and he screamed mentally…

* * *

"…re…"

"Hare, wake up!"

"Get up-chi!"

"Huh?" Hare forced open his eyes and stared up into the faces of the others. Genki, Holly, Suezo, Mocchi and Golem were looking down at him, and they all looked awfully worried. Shaking his head to clear it, he looked up at them and asked, "What is it, you guys?"

"You cried out while you were sleeping," Holly explained. Her soft brown eyes were filled with worry, and she asked, "Are you alright?"

"Yes," Hare answered quickly, a little too quickly to be reassuring. Holly glanced at the others, obviously recognizing that his reply was a little too fast and automatic to be real. Genki frowned, not too thrilled by that possibility.

Golem's eyes were solemn as he looked down at the little rabbit. He knew that it was probably not a good idea for them to push for a more believable answer right then. Picking Hare up from the ground, he rumbled, "It is late now. We can talk in the morning."

"Yeah, you're probably right, Golem," Genki yawned, stretching his arms. Beside him, Mocchi mimicked the gesture and leaned against his side.

Hare looked up at Golem, grateful for the reprieve. He curled up in the stone giant's hands and tried to will himself back to sleep.

Holly leaned up against Suezo, her eyelids drooping closed as she snuggled closer to her friend. However, Suezo wasn't as tired as she was. The eyeball monster stared over at where Hare was sleeping, thinking hard.

__

I know I felt something earlier, he said to himself. _Something brushed up against my mind…like…like the fluttering of a moth's wing._

…Where the heck did that come from? Suezo smirked, startled by the strange image that brought to him. But his eye was much more solemn than the expression on his face, and he kept thinking darkly to himself as the stars glittered over the treetops above them.

* * *

__

Everything is going according to plan.

The other rebels have no idea that I'm doing this to the little rabbit. And even if they did figure it out, how could they stop me?

The little rabbit certainly has a strong will. But then, he proved that back when we fought before…He's much stronger than those pathetic Evil Hares were. I'm amazed that any of those fools made it out alive.

But…no matter. My spell will soon take complete effect over him. And then I'll have all the time in the world to take control.

Mwa ha…ha ha HA ha…mwa ha HA ha Ha hA HA HAH ha hA Ha HA…ha hA HA Ha ha ha HA HA HA HA HA!

* * *

The darkness from before had changed into a village, and Hare stood in the center square in a sort of stunned stupor, gazing around at the destruction raging about him. Fires leaped into the air, flaming tongues reaching into a crimson sky. Smoke billowed from crumpled ruins, blocking out the sun. Monsters and people swarmed around him, panicking, racing into muddy streets to die at the fangs and claws of Moo's forces. Blood pooled at his feet, but he remained untouched, a passive spectator to the horrors unfolding on every side.

And the others were there, too, but unlike him, they were caught up in this scene from a nightmare, playing out their own roles. He saw Golem, using his Tornado in a futile attempt to protect the others, only to be torn apart while his stone body separated, his pieces blown to the far winds. Genki, huddled behind the temporary cover of what remained of the stone giant's back, sobbing as he cradled what had once been Mocchi in his arms, the lost disc nearly breaking under the force of his grip. Suezo, screaming as a spear lanced into his pupil, writhing in agony as he was pinned to the ground. Holly, calling out Moo's name, begging him to leave her friends alone and just take her, that she would gladly join him if he would just spare her friends.

And Tiger of the Wind, sprawled out in the mud, golden eyes staring blankly, his chest torn wide open by the enemy. Hare stared at the blue wolf, choking on his own tears, and told himself that this couldn't be real. For he had seen who had dealt the final blow to the warrior of wind, and it simply wasn't possible.

Grey Wolf had been the one to tear Tiger's body apart.

__

But that can't be! Hare's mind shrieked. _Grey Wolf is dead, Naga killed him. Grey Wolf is dead, he's dead, he's dead…_

His fingers tightened in a vise-like grip around the Phoenix's Tear, and the thoughts surged into his mind.

__

This isn't real! It's a nightmare, a dream…

I AM DREAMING!

* * *

Hare jolted awake, drenched in his own sweat. His paw still gripped his pendant, which was glowing faintly. Trembling, he leaned against Golem's palms, taking comfort in the safety they afforded him. From Golem's hands he could see where the others were, and he gave the group the once-over.

Genki and Mocchi were curled up together, like always.

Holly was leaning against Suezo's back, her soft brown eyes closed, breathing gently. Suezo looked like he was okay, too.

As always, Tiger was sleeping some distance away from the others, his back turned in Hare's direction. Even in his sleep, the blue wolf didn't seem to be truly relaxed.

Hare sighed, slumping down in a near collapse. At least the others were okay. It had only been a nightmare…

* * *

Suezo awoke with a slight cry, although the sound thankfully didn't wake up Holly. The eyeball monster felt tears run down his face, and he attempted to shake off the images he had just felt flooding into his own mind.

It was hard, so hard. He had a clear mental image of himself, dying. Suezo quivered: _Where had that come from?_ Trembling, he tried to force himself back to sleep, tried to forget the sight burned so vividly into his mind.

But he knew that sleep was not going to come easily tonight.

* * *

__

How could he? How could he break the spell, the little idiot?  


Well, no matter. He'll fall back asleep again soon enough. I'll just have to strengthen my spell a little bit…

* * *

"All right, everybody, let's go get that Moo!" Genki cheered.

Suezo groaned, slowly getting up. "What a night," he mumbled, shooting a dark look over at Genki for waking him. Next to him, Holly yawned and got to her feet.

Tiger of the Wind yawned and stretched his entire body out, almost like a cat would. He glared over at Hare and growled, "Thanks a lot, Hare. Your screaming kept me up last night."

"What?" Genki looked over at Tiger. "What are you talking about?"

"After you guys went back to sleep, that stupid rabbit started screaming your names in his sleep," Tiger informed them. "I would have woken him up, but Golem was holding him a little higher than I was willing to climb. Golem, you sleep like a rock."

Genki and the others looked back at Hare, who seemed genuinely startled by Tiger's words. Golem looked a little contrite, too, and Suezo seemed a little disturbed by what the blue wolf had said.

"Hare…did you have another nightmare?" Holly guessed. The rabbit didn't reply, but he bowed his head guiltily and let his ears droop over his face, hiding his expression. "Hare…"

"What was it about-chi?" Mocchi piped up. Again Hare didn't reply, but he glanced at Mocchi with such a sorrowful look on his face that it sent chills down Genki's spine. The boy unconsciously moved a little closer to the pink monster.

"Maybe we should forget it, guys," Suezo interrupted. The others stared at him, and he hurriedly plunged on, saying, "We have to keep looking for the Phoenix, right, you guys?"

"Right," Genki chimed in, and he turned to face Holly. "What does the Magic Stone say?"

As Holly checked the Magic Stone, Suezo glanced over at Hare, trying to read the younger monster's expression. The little rabbit was clutching the Phoenix's Tear again, his wide eyes clearly troubled. Suezo wondered: could the image he had seen last night have something to do with whatever Hare had dreamed?

The glow from the Magic Stone faded, and Genki started off in the direction it had pointed. Mocchi was right on his heels, and Holly and Suezo followed after the little pink monster. Tiger loped along on the edge of the group, and Golem and Hare walked at the end of the group. Suezo glanced around them: it looked like they were heading deeper into yet another forest. _Just how many forests were there on this planet, anyway?_

* * *

Tiger of the Wind kept glancing back at Hare as they walked, his thoughts as dark as the expression on his face. The little rabbit noticed the looks, and he shivered, drawing a little closer to Golem. Growling to himself, Tiger looked back to the path ahead of them.

He still couldn't believe that his little brother was dead. He had known, of course, that he would probably have ended up killing Grey Wolf anyway, but what he had learned at Grey Wolf's fortress was somehow even worse than he had imagined. Grey Wolf was dead, but it wasn't by his own paws. Instead, he had discovered that Naga had murdered his brother and had been controlling his warriors through the means of an illusion.

Tiger felt empty inside. Oh, he'd killed the monster that had deceived him for so long, using his love for his little brother against him, but that hadn't stopped this pain from growing inside of him. Tiger wondered briefly what hurt more: the fact that his little brother was dead, or the fact that he had been played for a fool for so long.

He couldn't explain to the others what he was feeling. After all, he was supposed to be the strong one, the one without emotions, without weaknesses. And yet the very emotions he kept hidden for so long had nearly gotten him killed. If Hare hadn't shown up and dispelled the illusion when he had…

  
But he had, and there was no sense in dwelling on it now. All Tiger could do was move on with his life…and murder that damned Naga for deceiving him like this. Revenge was often the only way for the blue wolf to deal with his problems, and it worked just fine for him now.

* * *

Hare snapped his head back up, forcing his eyes open. He felt so tired, so tired…he hadn't been able to get much sleep that night. After having that horrible dream about the village being attacked, he'd been too upset to sleep.

__

Why in the world is this happening to me? Am I having another vision like before? Is it a warning?

His feet nearly slipped out from under him, and Hare quickly shook his head to clear out the fog. It wouldn't do for him to fall asleep now, not while they were continuing their search for the Phoenix. The others needed him awake, so he could make plans for them and be ready to fight if necessary. Plus, if he fainted now, it would just be another chance for Tiger to get on his case again.

Gritting his teeth, Hare forced his head up again and stared at the path ahead. His vision blurred, and he shook his head to clear it. He could feel himself start to stumble again, and he struggled to keep his feet beneath him and moving.

* * *

__

Now…now it truly begins. Soon I will have complete control over the Phoenix's Tear.

Don't bother to resist me, little rabbit. Submit to your destiny…to surrender your body and powers to me!

Now, little rabbit…now!

* * *

__

I'm so dizzy…I'm weak…

Hare's breath was coming harder mow, and he was finding it more difficult to keep walking forward. The ground seemed to slip under his feet, and he nearly stumbled again. The others were a little ways ahead of him; when had they started walking so fast?

__

I'm so much weaker than everyone else is…Genki has so much energy…they all do.

Hare coughed, nearly collapsing, and his vision blurred. It was getting harder to see the road ahead.

__

Everyone's so strong, expect for me…they're all so powerful…

I'm dizzy…I'm weak…

What use am I to them? I'm just in the way…

I'm so tired…I need to rest…I can't go on…

Hare's legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to the ground. Through blurring vision, he could see the others continuing on, unaware that he had just fallen.

__

They don't need me anymore…I'm useless…

I just need to sleep…it feels so good…

Let me sleep…I just need to rest a little bit…

Whatever you do, don't wake me up…

Don't wake me up!

* * *

Tiger of the Wind glanced over his shoulder again, glaring at Hare.

Only the rabbit wasn't there anymore. The blue wolf could just barely make out Hare's crumpled body, laying some distance behind them. His startled exclamation caused the others to turn, and they all saw it as well.

"Hare?" Genki cried out, running back to the rabbit's side. As the others ran up behind him, Suezo felt a sudden wave of fear sweep over him. Somehow he knew that this wouldn't end well.

"Hare? _HARE!_" Genki called, kneeling down by Hare's side. The little rabbit made no move to respond, his eyes closed, breathing gently, fast asleep with no sign of getting up…


	10. Nightscapes: Dreaming

* * * Chapter Two: Dreaming * * *

"Hare! Hare, come on, this isn't funny!" Genki shouted. Grabbing the rabbit's shoulders, he tried to shake him awake, without any apparent success.

"I don't like this," Suezo moaned, giving his friends worried looks. _Why wasn't Hare waking up?_

Suddenly Suezo felt his eye widen in shock. Something seemed to be flickering faintly around Hare's body…an aura? A shadow? As Suezo watched, the strange darkness spread to Genki, gently misting his arms and face. The boy stopped shaking Hare, and yawned. Then he toppled backward, already snoring by the time he hit the ground.

"Genki? Genki!" Holly cried out, shocked. "What happened?"  


"You mean you didn't see it?" Suezo asked. When the others just stared at him, the eyeball monster hopped to Genki's side and said, "Never mind. We have to wake him up now!"

* * *

"Where am I?" Genki wondered aloud as he looked around him. Shadows stretched out in all directions around him. The only source of light that he could see was his own shadow, which stretched out before him in a white streak of light. That made a strange sort of sense, he supposed: if shadows were caused by light normally, then why couldn't light be caused by shadows?

Well, that was a question better left to minds untroubled by other problems, and Genki had a major problem at that moment: figuring out just where the heck he was. The last thing he could remember clearly was trying to wake Hare up…could that have something to do with where he was now?

A point of light materialized in front of him, and Genki started to move toward it. He could faintly hear some sort of noises coming from it, and decided that the best way to find out just what had happened was to find their source. As he got closer, the noises became clearer, slowly becoming identifiable. Genki strained to hear everything, and suddenly felt his blood freeze as he recognized one of the voices.

It was Hare. And he was screaming.

Genki started running, pushing himself to move faster and faster. The point of light came closer, and Genki's heart pounded as he saw Hare in its center. And the little rabbit wasn't alone, either. The shadows were _alive_, and were pulling on him, grabbing his arms and legs, holding him in place. Genki could feel his friend's terror, and he forced himself to move even faster, calling out the rabbit's name.

Hare couldn't seem to hear him, though. The rabbit was struggling to get away from the ethereal hands that held him, and was sobbing from fear. Every time he managed to break the grip of one of the hands, two more took its place.

"Hang on, I'm coming!" Genki called, pumping his legs to get even more speed. He was almost there…

Fire erupted across his chest, and Genki screamed as he stumbled backwards. Blood dripped from a nasty gash across his chest, which was thankfully shallow despite its length. It stretched over his stomach and chest in a thin line, and Genki cried out as he caught sight of it. He was lucky it was so shallow; if it had gone much deeper, he might have been chopped right in half.

"Well, well, well, what have we here? A nasty pest peeking into dreams that don't belong to him?"

__

I know that voice from somewhere, Genki realized. Scrambling to his feet, he stared up into glowing red eyes.

Glowing red eyes that leered back down at him from a colorful white mask, one that looked like a grotesque distortion of a clown's face.

"You shouldn't intrude on the dreams of others, boy," Joker rasped, raising his scythe as he spoke. "They can all too quickly become your own nightmares…"

The blade slashed down, streaking toward Genki's neck in a blaze of silver light.

* * *

"GENKI!"

Desperate, Suezo bit the boy's arm, jolting him awake. Genki's eyes shot open, and he leapt to his feet with a cry, throwing both arms up to ward off the attack. After a moment, however, he slowly lowered his defense and stared around at the others.

"Huh? What…ouch, my arm," Genki moaned, seeing the shallow teeth marks embedded in his left arm. Suezo sighed in relief.

"Hey, it worked," he said, seeing the dark looks Mocchi and Golem were giving him. Tiger just snorted and shrugged the whole thing off. Holly, meanwhile, had noticed something that horrified her.

"Genki…" she breathed, staring at the boy's chest. Seeing her gaze fixed there, Genki glanced down at it, and nearly passed out with shock.

A long, shallow cut stretched across his stomach and chest, exactly like the wound he had received in the dream. Genki stared down at it with a sort of detached fascination, like it wasn't his chest that was bleeding.

"What happened?" Holly stammered, hastily scrambling to bandage his wounds. Genki looked at her, confused.

"I…was attacked," he said simply. "I think I was in Hare's dr…HARE!" Genki whirled to look over at the rabbit. "Isn't he awake yet?"

Golem gave the boy a helpless look, silently answering the frantic question. Heart pounding, Genki scrambled over to Hare's side and started screaming out, "Hare! Wake up! Come on!"

Hare didn't answer him, he couldn't: he was still asleep. The rabbit moaned softly, stirring, but it didn't look like he was getting up. Genki tried to shake his shoulders again, desperate, but Holly pulled him back.

"Don't!" she warned. "That's how you passed out last time!"

"You don't understand, Holly! Hare has to wake up, right _NOW!_"

Holly stared at him, confused. "Huh?"

"I think I was in Hare's dream before," Genki hastily attempted to explain. "Something pulled me into it. And he was being attacked there! If I got hurt while I was in his nightmare…"

He trailed off, seeing the horrified look on Holly's face. Suezo, Mocchi and Golem stared at him, wide-eyed, and even Tiger looked a little disturbed by the unspoken possibility. Mocchi bolted over to Hare's side and started screaming his name, over and over again, near tears.

"I don't understand," Holly stammered, stunned. "How could you be hurt in a dream?"

"I don't know, maybe Joker has something to do with it," Genki replied. When the others stared at him again, he explained, "Joker appeared and attacked me. That's how I got this scratch before: he hit me with his weapon when I tried to help Hare."

"A spell," Suezo suddenly said, bleakly. "That explains it." Everyone's attention turned to the eyeball, and he stared back at them, his eye solemn.

"What do you mean?" Holly asked.

"Remember when Tiger ran off, and Hare claimed that he would get killed if he fought alone?" he asked, even though he was certain that everyone remembered that terrible incident. "Well, when I tried to make him settle down, I got all these images from his mind…of Tiger being dead or dying. That's why I suddenly started supporting what he had said."

Tiger stared at the eyeball: this was the first time he had heard about anything like this. He glanced over at the others, and could tell by the expressions on their faces that it was true. His golden eyes narrowed, and he turned his full attention to what was being said.

"And lately," Suezo continued, "it's been happening to me again. After he started complaining about his nightmares, I've been picking up…images from his mind somehow. I don't know how else to explain it…"

His expression became even grimmer, and Holly shivered. She had a feeling that most of the things he had seen were truly the stuff of nightmares. Gently she asked, "Why didn't you tell us before?"

"Are you kidding?" Suezo laughed, bluntly. "I had no idea what was happening. I only knew that what I was seeing was horrible, and I thought that maybe it had something to do with Hare's nightmares. I had no idea how to stop it, and I still don't."

"Well I do," Genki said, getting to his feet. "We have to go back in there and defeat Joker."

"What?" Holly gasped, staring at him. Genki started over to Hare's side, and Holly caught his outstretched arm before he could touch the rabbit again. "What are you doing?" she demanded. "That's how you nearly got killed last time!"

Genki stared up into her face, his clear brown eyes dark with determination. "I know," he replied, "but it's the only way we can help Hare. There's no way we can stop Joker from out here."

"The kid has a point, Holly," Suezo said. "We haven't exactly had much luck getting him to wake up from out here. The spell's just too strong…"

"But…Genki," Holly faltered. Her fingers gently traced along where she had bandaged up the boy's side, and her expression twisted into a mask of concern. "If Joker could do this to you when you were in the dream for just a little bit…"

"Then he can do a whole lot worse to Hare," Genki interrupted. Staring into her eyes, he said, "I have to do this, Holly. We're a team, and I'm not going to abandon any of our team for any reason. I'm going to help him…"

"Genki…" Holly fell silent, then slowly relented, "All right. But please be careful."

"Don't worry, Holly," Genki assured her with a wink. "If you and the others stay awake, then you can wake me up if it looks like I'm in trouble."

"If you're going to fight that Joker creep, then I'm in too," Tiger growled. "I still have a score to settle with that magic-casting coward…"

Genki nodded. "All right."

"Mocchi go too!"

"Sorry Mocchi," Genki told him, "but I don't think that's a good idea." As Mocchi started to protest, he quickly added, "I need you out here to protect Holly and the others. Can you do that for me, Mocchi?"

Mocchi quieted down and slowly nodded. "All right-chi," he answered, near tears.

"Genki…you must be careful," Golem told the boy.

"I will," Genki said, grinning up at the stone giant. "Tiger will be with me, so there's no problem."

"Genki…I'm coming along too."

"Huh?" Everyone else turned to stare at Suezo, and he flushed a bright red. The eyeball monster stared down at the ground, and he stammered, "Well, I think I should…I mean, I'm obviously sensitive to the spell Joker used…so…it doesn't make much sense for me to try and keep awake while you guys go in…I'd rather enter of my own accord than try and stay awake and enter against my will…"

"Suezo…" Holly whispered.

"Well, okay then," Genki said after a moment. "Let's go for it, then!"

Tiger and Suezo glanced at each other and nodded. The three approached Hare, and Genki gently brushed his hand up against the rabbit's cheek. Suezo gulped as he saw the shadow aura rise around Hare's body again, and threw a furtive glance back at Holly.

__

Golem…Mocchi…please keep Holly safe.

Suezo could only hope that his attempt to mentally tell the two monsters his biggest concern had worked. The shadows reached out with ethereal hands to envelop him, Tiger and Genki, and his sight dimmed and faded into blackness…

* * *

Holly shivered as she watched Genki, Tiger and Suezo drop to the ground, eyes slowly closing. She draped her arms around Mocchi, and the little pink monster cast pleading eyes up at her.

"They'll be okay, right-chi?" he asked.

__

I hope so, Holly thought to herself. She couldn't trust herself to make a positive reply to Mocchi's question, so she remained silent. Sensing her fear, Golem gently reached down and picked the two up off of the ground. Sighing, they settled down to wait. It was about all they could do, now…

* * *

"So…the boy decided to intrude again?"

Joker's eyes glowed blood red as he felt the three life forces enter his spell. The very idea that these upstarts could enter against his will! …But it mattered little. It only made things a bit more interesting…

"Yes…" Joker hissed as he considered the possibilities this infraction presented to him. The 'little rabbit' was already nearly his; the fact that he had slipped into a coma from the spell signaled to the cloaked monster that his spirit was no longer strong enough to resist his power. All that was left for him was to seal the little rabbit's own will and mind away, and then Joker would be free to take control.

__

And what better way to make somebody lose their will to live then to force them to watch as their friends slowly perish? Joker thought. The fact that he could make the deaths of these three real made it even more convenient for the baddie. _In a way, Genki and his two monster friends were doing him a major favor!_

If Joker's face had not been a mask, his grin would have become even wider. His demented laugher echoed around him as he disappeared into the darkness.

* * *

Suezo froze, hearing the terrible laughter rolling around them. _Maybe this wasn't such a good idea,_ he told himself. But there was no turning back now. Taking a deep breath, he glared into the darkness, trying to make out the source of the laughter.

"Can you see Joker, Suezo?" Genki asked. Suezo shook his head, and the boy looked around himself.

"I can't see anything other than you guys," Suezo admitted, glancing down at the beams of light that served as their shadows in this world of darkness. As strange as it was, he couldn't help but feel grateful for its presence. After all, it was the sole source of light that he could see, and was the only thing that enabled him to see the others.

Tiger sniffed the air, attempting to pick up on some sort of scent. The blue-furred wolf growled in frustration. "I can't pick out Joker's stench," he informed the others. "I can't make out anything at all, other than you two."

"That's just great," Suezo moaned. "How do we find Joker or Hare?"  


"We just keep looking," Genki told them, skating forward in the darkness. Suezo stared at him, a little stunned by the fact that there didn't seem to be anything holding the boy up.

"Hurry up, Suezo," Tiger growled, moving after Genki. Taking a deep breath, the eyeball hopped forward, somehow surprised when he didn't plummet down into the abyss.

* * *

Joker hovered over the three, laughing to himself. _This will be too easy,_ he thought as he raised his scythe. Dark purple energy pulsed around its blade as he chanted a spell, then he brought it down over the group.

* * *

"What was that?" Suezo gasped, whirling around. He stared into the air, petrified. "Uh, guys…?"

"What?" Genki asked. Seeing the eyeball monster's expression, he glanced up into the darkness above them. "Huh-"

A violet bolt of lightning coursed down from the darkness and exploded right in the center of the trio. Genki hollered as he was thrown backward, and he reached out for Tiger and Suezo, calling their names.

"Genki!" Tiger howled as the energy swirled around them, blocking their view of one another. The sound of Suezo's screaming and Genki's shout was drowned out by the roar of the lightning as it enveloped them, pulling them away.

The last thing they heard was the sound of Joker's mocking laughter, rising above them, then fading away as the purple light vanished, leaving only empty darkness behind.


	11. Nightscapes: Awakening

* * * Chapter Three: Awakening * * *

"Tiger? Suezo?" Genki called, his voice sounding small and weak in his own ears. There was no sign of his friends anywhere. The last time he had seen his two friends had been right as they were torn away from one another by that purple light…now he was alone.

__

Well, what of it? Genki bit his lip, forcing himself to remain optimistic. _At least this way we can cover more ground._ The boy skated forward, deeper into the darkness, calling out Hare's name. At the same time, he kept his eyes wide open, hoping for a glimpse of either the rabbit or his two other friends.

The light below him was the only source of illumination in the void, and Genki was becoming increasingly aware of how much he needed its light to keep him focused. It was dark enough with its presence at his feet, and the last thing he needed was to be wandering around in the darkness, completely alone, without even it to guide him…

Something flickered in front of him, and Genki immediately quickened his pace, moving toward it. The last time he had been here, he had managed to find Hare for a moment by heading toward the light. Even if the rabbit wasn't there, he might find one of his other friends waiting for him. Keeping an eye out for Joker, Genki ran closer to the light.

But as he got closer, Genki suddenly realized that it wasn't Hare. Nor was it Suezo or Tiger. The boy slowed to a stop, staring, confused.

"Mocchi? What are you doing here?"

The little pink monster made no move to answer; he just gazed back at Genki, unusually quiet. Genki frowned at him.

"Didn't I ask you to protect Holly and Golem for me?" he scolded. "Mocchi, they need you more than I do right now…"

"Idiot."

"What?" Genki stared at Mocchi, shocked. The pink monster glared at him, his normally cheerful eyes hard and cold.

"CHERRY BLOSSOM BLIZZARD-CHI!"

Genki cried out in complete shock as he felt his body be hurled backward by the roaring hurricane of petals. His side scraped painfully against an invisible floor, and he raised his head to stare at Mocchi.

"Mocchi…why…" he choked.

The little monster glared at him. "Why does Mocchi always have to be treated like a little kid-chi?" he demanded. "Why does Mocchi have to listen to everything Genki-chi say?"

"Mocchi…" Genki whispered, staring helplessly at the little monster.

* * *

"Genki! Tiger! Hare! If you can hear me, answer me!"

Suezo paused, straining to hear any reply. Nothing. The eyeball monster frowned, shivering as he complained, "Oh great, just great. Now they've gone and gotten lost too. Why can't anything ever turn out okay for us?"

Suezo trembled, gazing around the abyss again. This was the last place he wanted to be left alone. _Why oh why did I volunteer to come here? I must have been out of my mind!_

Something ripped across his back, and Suezo screamed, instinctively rolling forward to get away from his assailant. Heart pounding, he whirled to face Joker as best he could, praying that the others would find him.

But it wasn't Joker who stood behind him. Suezo stared in silent horror at his attacker, his mind reeling with a thousand protests.

Holly glared at him, chestnut eyes dark with loathing. Blood dripped from her talisman, the dagger she had picked up while in Moo's floating castle, and Suezo stared numbly at its gleaming, bloodstained edge.

"Holly…please…no…" he breathed.

* * *

Tiger of the Wind stalked forward, growling softly. _So Joker thinks he's being funny by separating us? Well, he won't be laughing long. Once I get my claws in him…_

His sharp hearing picked up on a noise behind him, and he whirled around, his growl deepening as he glared into the darkness. There was no way he was about to let that cloaked fool sneak up on him again! His blood boiled as he recalled what the illusion-throwing monster had made him believe the last time they had met: that he was fighting with Moo. Well, he wouldn't let that happen this time!

"Come out!" he howled, launching his Torpedo into the darkness. It flashed by something, temporarily throwing light over its shadowy figure, and Tiger felt his eyes widen with shock.

__

No, it can't be. It's got to be an illusion!

"Big brother?" a familiar voice called. Tiger stared at the silver-furred wolf, gazing into his clear, unclouded blue eyes. Despite himself, he breathed the name his mind screamed over and over again.

"Grey Wolf…"

* * *

Joker laughed to himself, pleased. This was going so well for him, right now. The three intruders were being dealt with, and as for his real target, the little rabbit was nearly under his complete control.

He reached out and stroked Hare's fur, almost lovingly. The little rabbit was held fast by the darkness, and he hung limply in the grip of his shadows, unconscious. Only the gentle rise and fall of his chest betrayed that he was still alive. Joker's gaze fell on the rabbit's kerchief, and he mused for a moment on the strange way that fate worked.

Once before, Joker had been a servant to Gali, although he hardly would have described himself as loyal. The cloaked monster had always felt that the golden-masked monster possessed a rank that he himself should have held: that of being one of Moo's dreaded Big Bad Four. But, for whatever reason, Gali had that honor, and Joker had been forced to pretend fealty to him. When assigned to take out the rebels, he had jumped at the chance to outshine his 'master' and prove his strength to Moo.

Everything had worked out the way he had planned it, or at least that was what he had thought at first. The rebels got lost in a massive underground maze, and that was where Joker had confronted them and trapped each of them in his illusions. Their proud Tiger of the Wind had fallen under his power first, then the towering Golem, then the girl, then the others, one by one.

But he had missed one, an accursed little rabbit who had wandered away from the others and had reappeared in time to strike Joker before he could kill his friends. Joker had called out his Evil Hares, and captured the rabbit while they were fighting. He would have killed him then, but Tiger had taken him off guard, and when Joker had attempted to kill the blue wolf, Hare had used his new Dragon Kick to knock the cloaked monster right into a wall.

Joker understood now that Hare had used the Phoenix's Tear to help him use that attack so quickly. After the cave had collapsed, Joker had pulled himself free of the rubble and began stalking the rabbit and his friends. He had watched them defeat Gali –the one time where he had actually cheered for the rebels– and had followed them invisibly as they had defeated each of Grey Wolf's troops. The revelation that Hare was the 'little rabbit' that Naga had lost came as quite a shock to Joker, as had been the truth about Grey Wolf himself. But those surprises had shown him the road to taking his revenge.

It had been easy to invade the little rabbit's dreams and start giving him nightmares of his own making: Hare had already been suffering from nightmares and visions of his own for some time. After that, it had simply been a matter of twisting the rabbit's thoughts and fears into his own creations, and now his little victim was all but drained. His own will and mind were slowly fading away under Joker's influence, and once that was locked away, Joker would be able to completely control the rabbit's body and powers.

And the first thing he would do with his new abilities would be to wipe out what was left of those pesky rebels!

* * *

Mocchi sighed, snuggling up closer to Holly's side. The girl draped her arm around the little pink monster's shoulders, shivering as she looked over at Golem. The stone giant was standing watch over the sleeping bodies of their four friends, his expression solemn.

Hare gasped, and she snapped her head up to look over at him, her chestnut brown eyes darkening with worry. The little rabbit's face was stricken, like he was in pain, and his breath seemed to be coming harder and harder.

Holly bit her lip, and exchanged a worried look with Golem. They already knew that it was hopeless to try and wake up the little rabbit. The only chance they had left was…

Holly's gaze drifted back to Genki, Suezo, and Tiger, and she took a shuddering breath. Mentally, she urged them to hurry up.

__

I don't know how much longer Hare can hold out, you guys. Or you, either…

* * *

"Mocchi…please stop," Genki pleaded, pulling himself to his feet. "Don't do this to me…Mocchi…"

"SHUT UP!" Mocchi ordered, glaring at the boy. His hands were balled into tiny fists, and the little monster shook with barely contained rage as he spat out, "Don't act all innocent-chi! I'm sick of being bossed around by you, Genki! Stop treating me like a little baby! Haven't I shown you how strong I am-chi?"

"Mocchi…I know how strong you are…" Genki attempted to say.

"YEAH RIGHT-CHI! You only know what you've learned the hard way!" The angry accusation rang in Genki's ears, and he gazed blankly at Mocchi as the little monster's face screwed up into one of total concentration. Something nagged him about the expression on his former friend's face.

__

Oh no! Genki threw himself to the ground as the massive energy blast surged toward him. He felt it graze over his back, and he heard himself start screaming as pain tore through his entire body. It almost felt like his back had been ripped open, but when Genki glanced quickly over his shoulder, he was relived to see that the only thing in tatters was the back of his shirt. Still, his back throbbed with pain, and Genki gritted his teeth as he rolled away from Mocchi's fists.

The tiny monster bounced toward him, slamming into his chest, knocking him backward. Genki cried out again as a small fist collided with his cheek, and suddenly his instincts took over. The boy brought his hand back and lashed out blindly as Mocchi bounced at him again.

A sickening crack echoed in the darkness, and Genki felt his fist sink into something soft for a moment. Then it fell away, and Genki stared in silent horror as Mocchi rolled backwards, blood oozing from his face and mouth. The little monster lay unconscious, sprawled out where he had fallen a few feet away from the boy.

Screaming Mocchi's name, Genki ran toward the little monster. Tears trickled down his face as he knelt by his friend's side, gently supporting the tiny body.

Suddenly Mocchi's eyes snapped wide open, and his mouth opened. Genki had no time to react before the Mocchi Cannon raged into his face. Releasing the little monster's body, Genki stumbled backward, stunned.

"Mocchi…" he breathed, tears flowing down his bleeding face. "Do you really hate me…that much?"

He crumpled into a heap next to Mocchi, his dimming eyes focused on the monster's form as it shifted and changed into a lost disc…

* * *

"No, Holly…" Suezo gasped. "You can't do this to me…"

"I'm sorry, Suezo," Holly told him, the anger in her eyes slowly fading away. The eyeball stared at her, finding it difficult to believe that he had ever seen such hatred in her eyes. _Had he somehow misread her expression?_

"I'm sorry," she repeated, her beautiful chestnut brown eyes pleading with him.

"I forgive you," Suezo whispered, meaning it. He struggled to stand, but his foot refused to support him. "Help…help me up…" he managed to choke.

"I can't do that, Suezo."

Suezo stared at her, stunned. "What…?"

Holly raised the dagger again, and Suezo's eye widened. "Holly…"

"I'm really sorry to have to do this to you, Suezo. But I couldn't risk your stopping me."

"Stopping…you?" Suezo asked. Holly met his gaze with glistening, tear-filled eyes.

"Suezo…listen to me. Moo…is my father."

"What?" Suezo stared at his friend, stunned. "But how…?"

"Moo took control of him," Holly said, sobbing out the words. "That's why he can use the Magic Stone, the same way I can. We're the same…"

"Holly…"

"I can't stay with you any longer. My just being with you puts you and the others in danger. Moo wants to capture me, and he'll kill all of you to get me."

Recognition struck Suezo, and he stared at Holly in horror. "No…" he breathed.

"I'm sorry, Suezo," Holly repeated, gazing at him with sad chestnut eyes. "Tell the others…to keep looking for the Phoenix."

With that, Holly turned the bloodstained blade of her father's talisman toward her and plunged it deep into her own heart. Suezo watched in silent horror as she slowly collapsed, blood spreading across her red tunic, turning it a darker crimson.

* * *

"Grey Wolf…" Tiger repeated, again. The silver-furred wolf smiled back at him.

"Big brother," he said with a grin. Tiger stared at him: this was not the possessed minion of Moo his little sibling had become. This was the old Grey Wolf, the one he had known and loved before Moo had attacked them. The dancing, clear blue eyes, the friendly smile…it was all the same.

Tiger of the Wind knew that it was impossible. He knew that his brother was dead, that he was gone forever, a lost disc hidden somewhere far beyond his reach. And yet…he wanted so desperately to believe it was real.

"Big brother," Grey Wolf repeated, drawing closer to him. "I'm glad to see that you're safe…"

Tiger flinched, and he stepped backward, growling, "Get away from me! You're not real! You're an illusion!"

Grey Wolf regarded him with hurt blue eyes. "Do you really want me to leave?" he asked. "Do you hate even me so much that you don't want me here? Do you want me to be dead, brother?"

"No…" Tiger shook his head, trying to clear it. Emotions raged in his heart, and he could feel a sharp, stabbing pain somewhere deep inside of him. "You're an illusion…you're not real…"

"You must hate me," Grey Wolf said, lowering his gaze. "You don't want me to be here with you. You want me to be dead…"

"That's not true!" Tiger cried out. _How can I make him understand? This isn't real, it can't be! It's all an illusion._

But his heart shrieked at him to believe what was happening. In the back of his mind, a voice asked, _would it be all that terrible to let this be true? I can have my little brother back again, before everything happened. My pack, the Wild Bunch, my old home, I could have all of that back again._

But it wouldn't be real. It would all be an illusion. Nothing I do could ever change that.

But would that be so terrible? My entire life, I've had to lose everything I ever cared for: my pack, my friends, my family, and my brother! I have nothing left in this world other than fighting and revenge! After I've gotten my revenge, what then? I'll still have nothing to return to.

But this way…I can have everything I ever dreamed of. I'll never have to be lonely or lost again. I can have everything back again…isn't that what I've always wanted?

Tiger closed his eyes, and a single tear squeezed out, rolling down over his scarred cheek. He knew what his decision had to be. Opening his eyes, he gazed into his brother's loving face.

"Grey Wolf," he whispered. "You're just like I remember you as, even if you are an illusion."

Grey Wolf smiled at him, and Tiger returned the smile, although his was much sadder. Then the expression on Grey Wolf's face faded as lightning coursed into his body.

"I'm sorry, little brother," Tiger of the Wind whispered as the image of the silver-furred wolf faded into the darkness. Turning his back on the sight, he plunged deeper into the void.

* * *

"Holly…" Suezo whispered, gazing helplessly over at the girl's body. He struggled to stand up and half-hopped, half-limped over to her side. The soft chestnut brown eyes were wide open, but no longer saw anything. Tears blinding him, Suezo managed to gently close them, though it hurt just to touch her. He could see where her blood had smeared onto him, but he no longer cared. Holly was dead.

"It…can't be true," he sobbed to himself. "Holly, you can't be dead!" His tears rolled freely down his face, clouding the sight of her body. Through the mist of tears, however, Suezo abruptly noticed something.

Holly's talisman, her father's dagger, lying next to him. Suezo gazed at it, ran his tail over it, contemplating something. After a moment, he carefully lifted it up, staring almost spellbound at its bloodstained blade. As he turned it toward his own heart, he made a decision.

__

Holly…where you go…I go.

The old promise echoed in his mind as he guided the dagger to what he knew would be its final resting spot.

Something flashed out, and Suezo cried out in pain as electrical energy coursed into the dagger's handle. It clattered to the ground, and the eyeball whirled to see Tiger of the Wind standing a few feet away.

"Don't be foolish, Suezo!" he called. "It's only an illusion! One of Joker's tricks!"

__

Joker's…tricks? As that sunk in, Suezo looked back at Holly's body. It faded out of existence, becoming part of the darkness again, and Suezo broke free from his depression. A new wave of fear nearly overwhelmed him as he realized what he had been about to do, followed by an intense anger. _Just who did Joker think he was to play with the feelings of others like that?_

"Let's find the others!" he told Tiger. The blue wolf nodded, and the two monsters headed off together, following Tiger's instincts.

* * *

They found Genki draped over a lost disc, sobbing uncontrollably. He kept screaming something they couldn't understand; the only words they could make out were "Mocchi" and "I killed him." When Suezo finally managed to pull Genki away from the lost disc, he couldn't keep himself from staring at the boy's face. He was bleeding pretty badly, and the eyeball monster felt his heart skip a few beats at the sight of how badly he was injured.

Even Tiger couldn't contain his shock at the sight, but he quickly channeled it into something else. "This is Joker's fault," he growled, his eyes becoming glittering golden slits. "He's the one who caused Genki to get this hurt…"

"What do we do now?" Suezo asked. "The kid can't fight in this condition…Should I try to wake…"

"Don't wake him up," Tiger said with such vehemence that Suezo nearly let go of Genki.

"Why?" Suezo started to ask, but he understood even before he finished the question. The last time Genki had been under the spell, he had nearly gotten chopped in half. But the wound hadn't been real…until he had woken up.

__

As long as Joker's still alive…then any injuries we get in the dream world will be real when we wake up.

That left only one option left: they had to defeat Joker and save Hare before Genki woke up. If the boy's injuries turned into reality…

"Let's move," Tiger ordered, motioning for Suezo to follow him. The eyeball monster hastily propped Genki up against his side as best he could and helped the boy along.

* * *

Joker swore, more than a little upset by the fact that his three 'guests' had broken free of his illusions. The cloaked monster struggled to regain control, quickly reminding himself of what his true goals were.

It wasn't like it was a total loss. The little rabbit, his true target, was still under his power, still losing strength. It wouldn't be long before his will was too weak to fight back against Joker's powers. Once Joker had control of the rabbit's body, he would be able to deal with the rebels at his leisure.

Joker calmed down, and glanced over at where the rabbit hung suspended in midair by ethereal hands. _Yes…it won't be long now…_

His laughter echoed into the darkness, a challenge to the rebels.

* * *

Tiger of the Wind raced toward the sound of the noise, intent upon securing his revenge on the cloaked monster. Behind him, Suezo was panting and swearing at the blue wolf as he struggled to support Genki's body. The eyeball monster was having an extremely hard time keeping the boy from falling down, mainly because his body type wasn't exactly designed for holding things.

"Tiger…wait…up! I…can't…run…that…fast…you…" Suezo's voice died out as he spotted a point of light in front of them, and he called out, "Hey! Over there!"

Tiger noticed the light, too, and pushed forward, now absolutely positive that he was headed in the right direction. "Joker!" he howled, finally spotting the cloaked monster, and he surged at the baddie, summoning his lightning.

Joker easily dodged the electricity, and he hissed, "Such a simple trick. I do hope that wasn't your most powerful move, my dear Tiger, or else you are in trouble, indeed."

Tiger snarled, then his golden eyes widened as he noticed Hare held in the shadows behind Joker. He quickly regained his composure, but Joker had already seen the expression on his face. The baddie laughed, mockingly.

"Ah, yes, you finally noticed, did you?" he teased. "What do you think? He may be a little small, but the powers of the Phoenix's Tear will more than make up for that once I'm in control, wouldn't you agree?"

"What?" Suezo gasped, hopping up with Genki leaning against him. His eye widened as he noticed Hare, then he glared at the cloaked monster.

"You're not getting his body," Tiger growled, catching on to Joker's plan. He roared at the baddie, but Joker slid cleanly away from the gale, and he brought the end of his scythe down hard over Tiger's head. The blue wolf grunted, then leaped at Joker.

"Haven't we played this game before?" Joker asked, still laughing as he swung his scythe around again, catching Tiger in the muzzle and sending him sprawling backward. Suezo leaped at his back, only to be knocked away as the baddie whirled around.

"Be careful," Joker taunted the two monsters. "You never know when I'll decide to use the sharp side of my stick!"

__

Leave my friends out of this.

Suezo's eye widened, and he whirled around, trying to distinguish where the soft but determined voice had come from. The others seemed to have heard it as well, and Tiger flicked a quick glance around while Joker paused in his attack.

Genki groaned, and the boy propped himself up on one bleeding arm. "Hare?" he managed to ask, his voice weak and wavering.

Joker shrugged off the occurrence, and swept toward the boy, his scythe flashing down. Suezo opened his dry mouth to call out, "Tele-port!" but the words wouldn't come as a doubt flickered in his mind: _What if I can't use it?_

You can. Call it out!

__

What? Suezo had definitely heard a voice that time, but he quickly complied with the instruction. He felt a rush of power, and then he vanished and rematerialized –with Genki at his side– some distance away from Joker.

"How did you…?" Joker cursed. Tiger took advantage of his distraction to leap toward the baddie, and the cloaked monster quickly dodged away. But Tiger's claws clipped the side of his cloak, and he swore in frustration. Tiger fell back close to where Suezo and Genki were.

"I heard it…that time…" Suezo breathed. Tiger nodded curtly, and he glanced over at where Hare still hung suspended in the darkness, still unconscious.

"Looks like Joker's spell has a few problems," he muttered under his breath. His golden eyes glittered with a strange emotion…Suezo could almost swear that the blue wolf was amused by the unexpected weakness.

Joker surged toward them, scythe glowing with violet energy. Tiger knocked Genki and Suezo away, and leapt to meet the monster's attack head on. There was a sickening thud as the end of Joker's weapon slammed down, and Suezo nearly screamed as he saw Tiger fly backward.

__

Tiger!

There was no mistaking the mental voice that time. The mental scream lanced into Suezo and Genki's minds, and the boy's eyes fluttered open again as he groaned, "Hare…"

Tiger got back on his feet, blood seeping from a wound on his forehead. A lopsided grin twisted his face: he finally had a plan he could use against Joker. _Although Hare would never go for it…he'd say it was too risky._ Tiger smirked at that thought, even as he lunged toward Joker again.

Another terrible crack echoed through the air, and the blue wolf tumbled back to the ground. The mental voice screamed his name again, and Hare stirred in the grip of the shadows. Suezo stared at him, then gazed back at Tiger, heart pounding faster as he recognized what the blue wolf was doing.

"You damned fool!" Joker shouted, his eyes flaring blood red as Tiger leaped toward him again. He lashed out, and this time he struck with the sharp edge of his weapon. The blade tore into blue-and-white fur, and Suezo cried out as he saw blood splatter out.

Tiger of the Wind fell backward, eyes closing, a satisfied smirk on his face.

And a mental voice shrieked out the blue wolf's name, piercing the minds of everyone in the dark abyss.

And Joker screamed, falling backward, his cloak billowing around him.

And Hare's eyes snapped open.

* * *

__

TIGER!

Holly, Mocchi and Golem cried out in unison, the cry lancing into their minds with such force that they nearly fell backward. Holly felt her eyes mist with tears from the pain she felt in her mind, the plaintive cry burning into her mind.

A shadow flickered over the group for a moment, then surged away from where her four friends were sleeping. Holly stared in shock as the shadow slowly changed into a lost disc.

"Holly?" Suezo called out. Holly raced over to the eyeball's side, calling his name. Next to him, Genki groaned and got to his feet, only to get knocked back down by Mocchi.

"It's okay, Mocchi, I'm okay," Genki assured him, smiling. Suezo glanced over at him, relieved to see that none of the boy's injuries from the nightmare had become real. Even the mark on his chest from before was rapidly fading away.

Tiger of the Wind opened his eyes and immediately noticed that Suezo and Genki were both staring at him. Growling low in his throat, he ignored their look and turned away.

And found himself staring into Hare's wide eyes. The little rabbit was sitting up on the ground and staring directly at the blue wolf. Pretending that he couldn't see the hurt and fear that shone so clearly in them, Tiger turned his back on the rabbit.

"Hare-chi!" Mocchi cried out, noticing that the rabbit was awake. Hare barely had time to brace himself before the little pink monster bounced into him, sobbing with relief. As the others gathered around him, asking how he felt and if he was truly okay now, he glanced over at Tiger, who had stalked away from the group and was glaring off into the darkness, as if waiting for an attack.

Hare bit his lip, deciding not to mention that he had seen everything the others had gone through. After all, it _had_ been his nightmare they had gone into, so naturally he remembered what had happened to them. But that was something better left unsaid, at least for now.

He glanced over at Suezo, who was standing close to Holly just like normal. Except…was it a trick of the light, or was the eyeball monster flicking nervous glances over at the girl every few seconds? Hare couldn't help but think about what the illusionary Holly had said before: as a servant of Moo, Joker had access to more information than the rebels did. _Was it possible that…?_

Hare quickly discarded the thought: even if it was true, Holly had her reasons to keep it a secret. And he knew more about having to keep things hidden than most did…


	12. Master Vanity: Desire

__

Master Vanity

* * * Chapter One: Desire * * *

"Why? Why, why, why, why, _why?_"

The eyeball monsters sweatdropped as they watched their leader rant and rave. Eyes blazing verdant flames, the pixie hybrid sprayed crackling bolts of golden lightning across the massive chamber. Her servants cringed as the energy bolts ricocheted off of the gleaming crystal walls and bounded around wildly before finally striking any of the eyeball monsters unfortunate enough to be in their path.

"I've pulled out all the tricks. I've blackmailed, backstabbed, and manipulated my way into becoming a respectable monster in Moo's army, and yet he refuses to bestow upon me the honor of being one of his Big Bad Four! Why, why, why, why, _why? _I am perfectly suitable for the position…perfect in every way! So why does he refuse to give me that honor?"

The monster slammed her fists down on the arms of her throne, glaring down at the rabble cowering at her feet. Many of them were unable to bring themselves to gaze upon her face. The being might have been extremely attractive if her elegant features were not screwed up in an expression of uncontrollable rage. A fine-boned face with delicate features, a shapely body, and a graceful gait could not conceal the hatred and anger that boiled within her.

Vanity caught a glimpse of her grimace in her magic mirror, a small, round looking glass that she kept constantly floating near her, usually before her face. Her frown became even deeper, but she quickly schooled her features into a more pleasing expression. The half-Pixie, half-Suezo began to preen, brushing the stray strands of platinum gold hair away from her face.

"You may go now," she dismissed her loyal minions with a wave of her slender hand. The Suezo-types hurried to comply, several of them hastily uprooting the lost discs she had created during her magical temper tantrum and hauling them away. Vanity ignored the sight; it mattered little to her that her loss of control had cost some of her servants their lives. She could always find more of them; it certainly wasn't like Suezos were all that rare.

Sighing, the pixie hybrid leaned back in her crystal throne, stretching her body sensuously. She caught a glimpse of her many reflections in the multi-faceted walls of the clear crystal room, and she smirked. The sight of her gorgeous body always lifted her spirits. She certainly lived up to her name: she was obsessed with herself, even more than she was with power.

Vanity bit delicately on a knuckle, her eyes narrowing into slender glittering slits. _How could she get Master Moo to notice her ability? Or, more importantly, how could she impress Lord Naga?_

She smirked to herself as she thought of the reptilian. The purple fool actually believed that he had her wrapped around his little talon, just like that wench Night Flyer was. He had no idea that she was the controller, that she was the one using him to get closer to Master Moo. Naga had been quite helpful so far: it was with his influence that she had finally managed to secure this wonderful crystal tower, her Tower of Mirrors. Even the information that her eyeball monster spies had brought to her hadn't gotten her as far as he had.

But still it was not enough, and Vanity was beginning to find the reptilian harder and harder to control. She grimaced, thinking of an incident from a few days before:

__

"Lord Naga, come with me," she had pleaded with him, drawing him closer to her bedchambers. She wrapped her slender arms around his muscular chest, arching one eyebrow suggestively. She had carefully adjusted her silken outfit a few moments before: experience had taught her just the right amount of bronze yellow skin to expose.

"I have no time for your games," was his reply, and he shoved her roughly away. "The time is drawing ever closer; I must be ready to strike when the moment comes to overthrow Moo!"

Vanity pouted, her perfect ruby lips trembling. "But Lord Naga…" she pushed, reaching for his arm.

She had pushed too far. Naga's hand tore across her face and sent her spinning to the hard, cold marble floor. Her cheek burned, and she hastily brought her hands up to her face.

"Stupid pixie, you cannot understand the importance of this mission!" he thundered. "The little rabbit and the Phoenix's Tear must be in my possession when the time comes!"

Then he stalked off into the darkness, leaving the stunned Vanity alone in the cold hallway.

Vanity's fingers gently massaged her cheek, her eyes hard as jade. She was extremely fortunate that he had not scarred her perfect face. So, too, was Naga.

The pixie hybrid sunk deeper into her chair, fingers drumming against its cold arms. _All he cares about anymore is that damned rabbit. If I could only get my hands on it…But I'm not about to fight those rebels! Not with their reputation. Plus, I could break a nail…_ The thought of that made her shiver. No, there had to be a better way to capture the pesky little rabbit…

Sighing, Vanity gazed into her gleaming mirror. The magical looking glass was one of her most prized possessions; she had owned it since her unlocking by a mere wisp of a girl who had believed that the pixie would become her dearest playmate…_ugh! As if I would ever want to be tied to a snot-nosed little brat so obsessed with her dolls and her toys!_ Still, the child _had_ freed her, and Vanity had repaid her assistance by simply sneaking away one night instead of murdering the little idiot while she had slept

__

No, I am destined for much greater things than being some child's playmate, Vanity thought to herself. _I am destined to rule this world alongside dearest Master Moo!_

Her magic mirror had shown her this destiny long ago. The looking glass held many special powers now, thanks to an enchantment that Gali had put on it for her. Vanity sneered, remembering the now-lost monster: she had possessed more control over him than she had even over her Suezo-type soldiers. The fool had actually believed that she loved him, and had eagerly made a gift for his 'golden-skinned beauty'.

As she gazed into her mirror, she idly asked it to show her what was currently occurring in the rebel's camp. The smooth glass shimmered, and then an image slowly began to appear upon it. Vanity watched as the image slowly became sharper, clearer, and voices began to echo in her ears as she allowed the vision to flow into her mind's eye…

* * *

"I am soooo tired!" Suezo announced at the top of his lungs, flopping down on the ground. The other searchers sweatdropped as they stared at him.

"Obviously not tired enough to shut up and get some rest while you can," Hare observed dryly. Suezo glared at the rabbit, muttering under his breath.

"Well, we're setting up camp now," Holly reassured her friend, even as she started working on getting a campfire going. Genki started helping her, and after a few moments, a cheery blaze burst into life. The searchers started to gather around as Holly started cooking some soup for them.

* * *

__

These are the dreaded searchers? Vanity thought, a disbelieving smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. Still, she knew better than to make the mistake of underestimating them: too many monsters had died doing the same. Instead, she studied each of the members critically, trying to gauge each one's abilities.

The rabbit, she knew, was the same one that her dear 'Lord' Naga was searching for so desperately. While, at the moment, he didn't appear to be all that threatening, Vanity knew from reports that he was truly able to control the Phoenix's Tear, even if he rarely used that power, even now that his friends knew about it. She frowned, puzzled; how anyone could possess so much power and not want to use it was beyond her understanding.

Shrugging off her confusion, she turned her attention to the youth beside him. Vanity grinned; now, this was a fine young man indeed! She suddenly had a clearer understanding of why Master Pixie had abandoned her post as one of Moo's generals after meeting the boy. While he was still young, she could see that his childish features held the promise of a man who would be quite handsome after becoming a little older. Although he would never become older if he continued to oppose Moo…she sighed, a little regretfully.

The little pink fluffball that was next to the boy, she barely glanced at. He was a worthless baby, with the eyes of a kitten that has just learned to walk. There was no reason to concern herself with him.

Nor was there anything particularly interesting about the girl, other than the fact that Vanity knew that she was somehow related to Master Moo. It certainly didn't show: the maiden she saw in the looking glass bore little resemblance to the pixie hybrid's beloved master.

The stone giant…Vanity sighed, looking over the monster's sculpted muscles, staring at his solemn face, gazing into his deep, dark eyes…_What the heck am I thinking?_ Blushing, she quickly tore her gaze away from him and focused on the blue wolf.

__

Yes…this one will be a real problem, she told herself, wincing a little as she noticed the long, jagged scar that marred the side of the blue wolf's face. _What a horrible fate, to carry such a horrid scar on such a handsome face…uh oh, I'm doing it again._ Shaking her head, the pixie moved on.

__

Ah yes…the Suezo. Emerald eyes glittered as Vanity narrowed her eyes, looking over the eyeball monster. He was currently engaged in a heated argument with the little pink monster over something, she wasn't quite certain what. The eyeball was screaming such nonsense that she wondered if he had any idea what he was saying anymore.

Something moved at the very edge of her sight, and Vanity started with surprise. She could barely glimpse something moving near the rebels' camp. Mentally, she ordered her mirror to focus on the movements.

The scene rippled, then morphed into a new image. Vanity could now see clearly what was moving around, and a grin spread over her face. _I can use this,_ she told herself, and she called out a mental command. With a flash of light, she vanished from the room, leaving behind the cold glittering walls of crystal.

* * *

Chishi growled low in his throat, leading his warriors closer to the rebels' campsite. The pack of fifteen Cabalos slunk forward, following his every movement.

__

I'll make the rebels pay for murdering Master Grey Wolf, Chishi thought grimly to himself. Raising his head, he howled out a battle cry.

* * *

The rebels jerked as one, and Tiger of the Wind leapt to his feet, snarling, "We've got company, people!"

"Gee, what was your first clue, Tiger?" Hare quipped as he got up, paws balling into fists. The blue wolf glanced back at him with a growl, but had no time to reply as the baddies rushed toward them.

"I'm in the zone!" Genki called out, smashing his foot into the snout of the nearest Cabalos. The others reacted normally: Golem scooped up Holly and stepped away from the battle, protecting her; Mocchi mimicked Genki and flung himself into the battle; Tiger launched his Torpedo attack; Hare landed his Guru-Guru punch on another purple wolf's muzzle; Suezo panicked and ran in the opposite direction of the battle.

"Hey, look out!" Hare called, knocking one of the Cabalos away as it leaped at Suezo's back. The eyeball monster blanched as the baddie went flying past him.

"Why don't you use the Phoenix's Tear?" he asked Hare as the rabbit stood at his back. "You could blast all of these guys at once!"

"Because I don't want to, that's why!" Hare screamed back at him, a little too loudly. Suezo stared at him, backing up, and the rabbit muttered something along the lines of, "You wouldn't understand," and turned back to the fight.

__

You're damned right I don't understand. I've seen how much power that pendant gives you; you could take out an entire army of monsters with one attack if you wanted to. So why don't you?

__

My thoughts exactly, Vanity thought as she materialized behind Suezo with a small smirk on her face. Her narrowed eyes glittered like twin pieces of jade, and she mentally reached out to the eyeball monster, whispering his name.

"Huh?" Suezo turned around, confused. Something was behind him, but even his incredible eyesight was unable to make it out. That registered in his mind as being truly odd, and the eyeball felt a distinct sense of dread as he called out, "Who's there?"

And then the most beautiful woman he had ever seen stepped out of the darkness. Suezo felt his mouth fall open, and he gaped at the sight. The woman smiled, her bronze-yellow skin gleaming golden in the soft light from the moon, and her verdant eyes glittered like two finely polished emeralds. Brushing shimmering golden hair away from her perfect face, she gestured for him to come closer.

Suezo felt his body move forward, almost beyond his control, and he moved closer to her, his eye widening as a glassy fog slowly spread over it.

She was so beautiful.

She was so beautiful.

She was so beautiful.

The thought filled his head, and he moved farther into the darkness, all other things forgotten.

* * *

Chishi heard another one of his warriors cry out, and he snarled out, "Retreat!" As much as he longed to take revenge for his dead master, he had no desire to sacrifice any of his pack members. The fifteen Cabalos fled, explosions from Tiger's torpedoes and lightning at their heels.

"Come back! Cowards!"

"Let it go, Tiger," Holly told him, smiling as the others began celebrating. Genki and Mocchi were already cheering, dancing around Golem's feet as they shouted out victory cries.

Hare smiled and laughed, seeing the excitement of the two, and was about to make a comment to Tiger when he suddenly felt a presence at his back. The Phoenix's Tear grew warm, something that often signaled danger to the little rabbit. Whirling around, he smiled in relief as he spotted Suezo behind him.

"Hey, buddy, where you been?" he teased. Turning back to point at the others, he said, "See, look, the fight's over already. You missed out on all the fun, pal. Although that probably doesn't bother–"

Hare's words were cut off with the abruptness of a slamming door as he felt white-hot fire erupt across his back. A choked off scream erupted from his throat, and the other rebels turned as one to see what was wrong. Holly gasped, covering her mouth in shock, and Golem reached out to steady her as he stared in mute horror. Genki exclaimed something, and Mocchi echoed it, his eyes wavering as they took in the scene.

Suezo's mouth was locked around Hare's back, half-engulfing it. The moment seemed to freeze in time, each detail searing itself into the rebel's shocked minds: the sight of the eyeball monster's white teeth digging into the rabbit's brown fur, drawing blood. Hare's shocked expression, his eyes wide, his mouth open in a now silent scream, his entire body rigid. And the glassy, dark green-gold pupil of Suezo's eye, as cold and hard as jade.

Time slowly unfroze, and Suezo released his hold on the rabbit. Hare dropped to the ground, eyes closing, his body becoming limp as he slipped into a merciful faint. The eyeball monster raised his chilling gaze to the others, a strange, neutral expression on his face. No hint of remorse or regret showed in his darkened eye, and an almost demonic smile played at his lips. Even Tiger winced slightly as the rebels saw the bloodstains on the eyeball monster's teeth.

"_WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE YOU DOING?_" Genki demanded, on the verge of leaping forward to smash in Suezo's face. Only the fact that the eyeball monster was _supposed_ to be a friend kept him from knocking some of those horrible reddened teeth out of that grinning mouth.

"Whatever I tell him to do," an alluring female voice replied. The rebels glanced around in confusion, and Mocchi cried out as a golden-skinned pixie stepped out of the darkness and strode up behind Suezo. A haughty smirk twisted her ruby lips, and she leered at the group triumphantly.

"What do you mean?" Genki asked, his hands balling into fists. Vanity's eyes glittered like sparkling emeralds, and she grinned at the boy.

"I mean that your dear friend Suezo is now my dear servant," she replied, enjoying the shocked reaction from the rebels. She ran one hand along the eyeball monster's side lovingly, saying, "You see, all of his kind exist only for one purpose: to lay down their lives for my beautiful self. I merely awakened this desire inside of him."

"_What?_" Genki exclaimed.

"No…Suezo…" Holly breathed, her wavering chestnut-brown eyes locked on her friend. Suezo gazed impassively back at the girl, no emotion at all in his clouded, green-gold eye.

Vanity smirked again, and she crouched down next to Hare, lifting the rabbit's body from the ground in one smooth movement.

"Don't touch him!" Tiger snarled, his torpedo racing toward her. Vanity merely glanced at it, unconcerned, as it streaked toward her.

"Power reflection," she whispered, and her magic mirror glowed as it suddenly moved between her and the missile. The torpedo raged right into the smooth glass surface and vanished, the looking glass shimmering with its light for a moment.

"What the he–" Tiger's question went unfinished as a bolt of silver energy shot out from the mirror and streaked back at him. The blue wolf howled as he was blown backwards, the beam lancing through his shoulder.

"_TIGER?_" Genki and Holly cried out in unison, and the rebels turned toward their fallen friend for a moment. As the blue wolf struggled back to his feet, Vanity took advantage of the distraction to yank Hare off of the ground, wrapping her arms tightly around his body. The little rabbit groaned, and his eyes fluttered open.

"Wh…what hap…happened?" he asked, his voice weak and trembling. The rebels whirled back around, and Vanity quickly sent a shockwave into the rabbit's body to keep him from reviving. However, it had the opposite effect, and Hare's eyes shot open as he saw Tiger still half-sprawled on the ground.

"Ti-GAAAAAHHH!" he screamed as the pixie hybrid shocked him again. Realizing what was happening, he started struggling to break out of her grasp, to no avail as Vanity tightened her grip and started to back away from the group. Screaming at her to stop, Genki dived at her, Mocchi beside him. The two passed through empty space as Vanity levitated herself upward, hovering over the group.

"Sorry, rebels, but I'm afraid I can't grace your sorry group with the honor of my presence any longer," she told them, a haughty laugh escaping from her. Glancing over at Suezo, she ordered, "Come!"

A silver light enveloped the eyeball monster, and he suddenly floated up toward where Vanity hovered above the others, Hare still squirming in her arms. Golem shouted something and tried to grab him, but Suezo was already out of even the stone giant's reach.

"Come back, you damned coward!" Tiger snarled, his bared teeth flashing as he struggled to support himself.

"Suezo!" Holly cried out, eyes wavering as she stared up in a stupefied horror at her unresponsive friend.

"Hare!" Genki shouted, his eyes locked on the trio that floated over him.

"_GENNN-KIIIII!_" Hare shrieked, wavering eyes overflowing with tears as he reached one hand helplessly, imploringly toward the group. The cry hung in the air as the three teleported away, Vanity's mocking laughter echoing with it. The rebels stared into the sky, now empty except for the stars that still shone down upon them, unchanged.

Genki felt his trembling hands slowly ball into fists, and his clear eyes shone as he continued to stare at the space where they had been mere moments before. At his side, he could hear Holly begin to sob softly, and behind he could hear Golem bend to comfort a terrified Mocchi. Golden eyes locked on the sky, Tiger of the Wind slowly padded up next to Genki.

"It looks like we have a real problem now, kid," he growled softly in his throat.

Genki nodded, his gaze never leaving the sky. A soft breeze whistled through the clearing, the only other sound other than the soft sobbing from Holly and Mocchi in the valley. It ruffled Tiger's fur, and Genki's bangs waved in the slight wind, unnoticed by either of them.


	13. Master Vanity: Mirror, Mirror

* * * Chapter Two: Mirror, Mirror * * *

Golem stared into the blazing fire, the warm flames no longer seeming as bright as they had been before. The stone giant's face was tear-stained, just like the faces of all of the other remaining rebels, except for Tiger of the Wind, of course. An unnatural silence hung over the glen, broken only by occasional sobs from either Holly or Mocchi. The two were curled up next to Golem, and Holly's arms clung to a couple of his stone fingers for comfort.

__

I can't…believe it, Holly thought, tears misting her eyes as she tightened her grip on Golem's fingers. _I never dreamed that…_ Chestnut eyes wavered, then closed in silent agony. _Suezo…how could you betray us?_

The unspoken question hung over the group like a pall; nobody needed to give it voice to know that it was what the others were thinking about. Mocchi's entire body shook as the tiny pink monster cried into Golem's leg, and Holly bit her lip to keep herself from doing the same.

__

I promised myself…that I'd never cry again…

__

And I also promised Suezo that we'd never be apart, no matter what. What has that amounted to?

The girl's shoulders quivered, and she let her soft brown bangs fall over her face, masking her expression. _Everything happened so quickly…the battle went so well for us. There was no warning._

For what wasn't the first time that night, her mind replayed the images that had seared themselves into her memory. Images of Suezo, but not the funny, loyal companion she had known ever since she had unlocked him over two years ago. Instead she saw him with his teeth buried in Hare's fur, leering at her with a bloodstained mouth, floating beside Vanity above her and the others, his eye always the same chilling shade of unfeeling green-gold.

__

Hare! Suezo!

Genki glanced over at Holly as she buried her face in her palms, her shoulders shaking convulsively. His clear brown eyes were filled with tears, and the boy stubbornly wiped them away.

__

Doesn't anything ever upset you, kid?

Suezo had asked him that, right after they had narrowly escaped the crash of the Iron Bird. He could still remember the disgusted, exasperated expression the eyeball monster had on his face as he asked that.

__

Nah! Even if it did, I'd just cover it up with a laugh. Ha ha ha…

A sad smile played over Genki's lips as he remembered his reply, and how he and Mocchi had started laughing so loudly that the others had all sighed in disbelief. He wiped away his tears again with the back of his hand, but his eyes still wavered as he stared back up at the star-filled sky.

__

We have to find a way…to get our friends back. Both of them.

* * *

Vanity stretched luxuriously as she danced around in her throne room. She had changed into one of her favorite outfits, a flowing silken robe of purest white that billowed and swirled around her shapely body. She felt that it suited her beauty very well, and always wore it during special occasions. The pixie hybrid swayed and danced, her short blond hair waving and swirling gracefully as she moved, her ivory dress fluttering around her form.

Not far away, Suezo watched her with a strange expression on his face. While, from a distance, it seemed as if he was admiring her dance, if one could get closer to him, they would realize that no emotion showed in the glassy surface of his eye. If one gazed deeply enough into it, one could see the faint, greenish-gold tinted reflection of the dancing pixie in the blank, pupiless eye.

Vanity's dance was almost finished, and the pixie hybrid slowed to a graceful stop, ending in an alluring position. Brushing golden blond hair away from her face, she walked past Suezo with barely a glance toward him. Instead, her eyes were focused on the smooth surface of the crystalline wall directly behind her throne. One of the sections stretched up from the floor to just above her head, and a raised border sparkled around the area, singling it out. Vanity placed her hands up against the smooth, gleaming crystal wall, and she chanted an incantation under her breath.

__

"Crystalline spire, greatest of mirrors, allow me to see past the reflections and reveal to me the secrets hidden behind your beautiful illusion."

The surface shimmered, then rippled like a pond with a single stone cast into its glimmering depths. As the glowing ripples faded away, Vanity's hands now rested on a translucent crystal wall, and she could see into the small chamber that was hidden behind its depths. Smirking, she tapped on the glass-like surface, trying to attract the attention of the small, brown-furred figure that huddled in the corner farthest away from the mirror entrance.

Hare looked up at the sound, his expression half-hidden by his long, drooping ears and the dark fur that fell in bangs over his face. Still, even at this distance, Vanity could clearly see the unmistakable loathing and fear that shone in his dark, wavering brown eyes. His knees were up against his chest, and his arms were wrapped around his legs as he stared over at Vanity. There was no longer any sign of the bite that Suezo had given the rabbit at her command.

"You used the Phoenix's Tear to heal yourself," she said, more a statement than a question. Hare made no response, his eyes locked on Vanity's sneering face. Knowing that he would not answer, she continued, "What other powers can you command?"

Hare's expression hardened, and he suddenly leapt to his feet and leveled his paws toward her face. A stream of crimson fire flashed out and streaked toward the pixie hybrid, only to reflect off of the mirror entrance. Vanity watched with a pleased expression, her emerald eyes gleaming as the flames ricocheted away and faded into nothingness. She swung her gaze back toward Hare, calculatingly, while the rabbit slumped back down to the gleaming crystal floor, struggling not to show his obvious disappointment.

"Interesting," she mused, smiling. "No wonder Naga is so intent upon retrieving you." Hare blanched at her words, and she smirked as she noticed his fear. "Well…maybe I'll hand you over to him…and maybe I won't."

That caught Hare's attention, and he raised frightened eyes to stare at her as she mused, "If I hand you over to Naga, then that reptile will convince Master Moo to promote me to being one of his Big Bad Four. You do realize, of course, that Master Moo is recruiting new generals to take over those…vacancies you and your friends created?" When Hare didn't answer, she shrugged and continued, "But…if I hand you and the Phoenix's Tear over to Master Moo himself, and tell him of Naga's plot to overthrow him, then he may be so pleased by my loyalty that he'll make me his betrothed. We could rule this world together…"

She sighed, her expression longing and lovesick, and Hare shuddered at the mere thought that anyone could be attracted to Moo. _I bet she loves his power, not him._ Still, the look on her face seemed to be genuine, and the rabbit nearly gagged at the sight of her apparent adoration of the evil master. After a moment, however, she suddenly frowned, and added, "Of course, I don't know exactly how Moo will react. He may decide that I am a traitor just like Naga, and kill me as well…" She grimaced for a moment, then shrugged again and said, "Well, I'll take some time to think about it. After all, I hold all the cards now, and nothing's going to happen until I command it."

She turned away, and as the illusion reappeared again, concealing the entrance once more, Hare hugged his knees to his chest and began to tremble. Tears ran down his cheeks as he thought about the last few moments that he had seen his friends, and what he had learned from the haughty Vanity after she had brought him here.

"Leave…leave my friends out of this…please," he sobbed, his voice soft and pleading. "Don't drag Suezo and the others into this, please…Leave them alone…"

* * *

"We have to go rescue them," Genki said.

"But how? We don't even know where they went," Holly told him, raising her tear-streaked face to look at the boy.

"Holly…the Magic Stone…" Golem said slowly. Holly glanced up at him, her fingers straying to her pendant even as she shook her head.

"But…it won't work…it can only find mystery disks…"

"In Grey Wolf's fortress…" Golem gently reminded her. Genki, Tiger, and Mocchi stared at the two, not understanding what that meant, even though Holly got the message. Nodding, she pulled out the Magic Stone from under her tunic.

"I…I'll try," she faultered, then she wiped away a tear and closed her eyes to concentrate. The Magic Stone levitated over her outstretched hands, and the familiar glow came over it, but no image appeared. The girl's face became solemn with concentration, she prayed with all her heart that this would work.

* * *

Hare stopped sobbing for a moment and opened his eyes. There was a familiar warmth at his chest, and he quickly uncovered the Phoenix's Tear. The pendant was glowing brightly, and Hare wrapped his paws around the gleaming crystal, smiling sadly despite the tears in his eyes.

__

The others…are coming. I should have known…

Closing his eyes, Hare tightened his grip on the Tear and mentally reached out toward where he could just barely make out the presence of the others.

__

Here…I'm here. We both are.

* * *

"It worked!" Genki cheered, seeing the familiar image flickering in the Stone. A relived grin came over Holly's face, and as she broke off her concentration, she hurried after the others, who had already turned in the direction that the Magic Stone had indicated. Naturally, Genki soon raced into the lead, his legs pumping hard as he skated forward, Mocchi clinging to his back. Tiger of the Wind was right beside him, a blue-and-white streak of fur, and Golem brought up the rear, Holly in his arms.

A glittering eye watched them leave, then swiftly vanished.

* * *

"_WHAT DO YOU MEAN THAT THOSE SEARCHERS ARE COMING HERE?_" Vanity shrieked at the unfortunate messenger that had relayed the news to her. The Suezo-type cowered, fearing her wrath. However, the pixie finally decided after a few moments of ranting that she would allow him to leave, and he hastily departed. The golden-skinned pixie flopped back into her throne, her eyes dark glittering slits of emerald light as she considered her next move.

"If I send out any of my warriors, I might be able to wear them down," she mused. But she knew from the stories that the tactic had already been done to death –literally– by those before her. She cared little for the lives of her warriors, but the last thing she wanted to do was suffer a major loss at the hands of the rebels. Master Moo might not look upon her as kindly if she lost a great number of his warriors, even if the worthless eyeballs did somehow manage to bring down the rebels.

No, she needed something a bit more unique, something the rebels would never expect. Her gaze fell on Suezo, who still lurked in the shadows near her throne, close to the concealed chamber…no, that was a bad idea. While the rebels might not enjoy fighting their friend, they would probably expect her to use that against them. Better to wait until the time was just right…then she would use Suezo to seal their fates.

No…she had a much better scheme in mind. Vanity smirked as the plan slowly came to her, and she reached out to take hold of her magic looking glass once more. She bid an image to appear, and soon a vision of Genki and the other rebels heading toward her tower faded into view. A haughty smile spread over her lips: yes, they would arrive soon. As soon as they entered, the real games would begin…

Her mocking laughter echoed through the tower, filling the chambers. Suezo watched her expressionlessly, while Hare raised his head as the sound came to his ears, his eyes wavering with sudden fear.

* * *

"Look at that, chi!"

Genki, Holly, Tiger, and Golem followed Mocchi's gaze, and the five stared in silent awe at the gleaming crystal spire that rose before them. Genki's mouth dropped open, Holly's eyes widened, and even Tiger looked more than a little impressed by the sight of the glittering tower sparking brilliantly in the starlight.

Genki recovered first, and he glanced back at the others as he asked, "Think they're in there?"

The answer was obvious. Holly and the three monsters nodded in unison, and the five travelers moved closer to the spire, looking for an entrance. The smooth surface of the crystal bore no marks, however, and there were no paths to mark any sort of doorway. Tiger sniffed the air, attempting to pick up on the scent of those that had gone before them, hoping to discover the way they had taken. After a moment, however, he lowered his nose and shook his head, golden eyes glittering with frustration.

"Nothing," he snarled, grimacing. "I bet that sorry witch just teleports herself and anyone else she wants to have visit in and out."

"Hey, what if Su…" Genki quickly shut up, but too late; Holly and the others already figured out what he had been on the verge of suggesting. The blue wolf's eyes gleamed with remembered outrage, and Holly's eyes wavered with barely contained tears. Golem just shook his head, a little surprised that the boy had actually forgotten for a second, yet his eyes shone with sympathy.

"Sorry…Holly, are you okay?"

"I-I'm fine," Holly insisted, turning away so the others wouldn't see the tears that brimmed in her eyes. "I just…got something in my eye, that's all…"

__

Yeah, they're called tears, Tiger thought, but he said nothing. Leave the attempts at humor to Suezo and Hare; that was the way things normally went. But the blue wolf didn't even want to consider the possibility that it would never be that way again.

* * *

"Interesting," Vanity commented, watching as the image of Holly in her mirror wiped away a tear. "So she puts a value on the eyeball, hmm? Perhaps…perhaps a little reunion is in order…"

Smirking, the pixie made a gesture with one slender hand.

* * *

Something flickered behind the group, just at the edge of their sight. Holly barely had time to glance toward it before the light flashed toward her, engulfing her.

"Hey–!" she exclaimed, the cry cut off as the light enveloped her and lifted her off of her feet. The others shouted with shock, and Genki screamed her name as he reached toward her. The silver light flashed violently for a moment, then was gone.

"Holly? _Holly!_" Genki called out. Tiger cursed, snarling as what had just happened sunk in. Mocchi grabbed onto Genki's hand, and Golem growled in outrage.

"Hey, look-chi!" Mocchi suddenly said, pointing back toward the tower. The others turned to stare in surprise as a section of the tower lit up, and a doorway formed. Genki and Tiger exchanged glances.

"What do you think, Tiger?" Genki asked.

"Looks like we're being invited in," Tiger mused, a grin suddenly spreading over his muzzle for a moment. "Let's take advantage of this…"

And the blue wolf raced into the crystal tower, Genki directly behind him. Mocchi and Golem glanced at one another, then hurried to follow along. As the stone giant vanished into the darkness inside, the entrance vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

* * *

Vanity smirked, pleased. So far, things were going well for her. The rebels had no possible way of defending against her trap. As for the girl…she had _special_ plans for her…

* * *

Holly's eyes fluttered open, and she propped herself up on her arms, confused as she looked around at glittering crystal walls that seemed to extend into darkness. _Am I…in the tower?_ she wondered. There was no sign of the others, and she got to her feet slowly, looking for some hint as to where they were.

__

I'm all alone. There's nobody else here…I have nobody.

Holly shivered, biting her lip. Her hand found where her dagger hung at her side, and she wrapped her fingers around its hilt. The feel of the smooth metal under her palm helped her to relax, and she forced herself to take a closer look at her surroundings.

A staircase glittered nearby, beckoning. Taking a deep breath, Holly began to climb up it. Maybe she would find the others. Maybe she would find Suezo…

* * *

"Hare! Holly! Suezo!" Genki called, the echo of his own voice his only answer. He and the others kept walking forward, keeping their eyes open for any sort of passageway or sign of their missing friends.

"Stop," Tiger suddenly growled, coming to a halt. Genki glanced back at him, and the blue wolf stared past the boy.

"There's something there," he warned, motioning with his head for the boy to come back closer to the rest of the group. Genki obeyed, and lightning danced around Tiger's horns as he ordered, "Come out!"

Something sparked to life in front of the group, and Tiger gasped. He was staring at another tiger monster, one with dark blue fur, cold gold eyes…and a scar that stretched down the side of his face. As he gaped, the other tiger smirked back at him, energy crackling around his horns.

Other figures stepped out of the shadows, and the rebels stared at each of them in turn. A lumbering giant of gray stone, solemn eyes hard as granite as they locked with Golem's own. A small, rose-colored monster with bright, shining eyes and a playful smile, slowly walking toward Mocchi.

And a boy with wild brown hair and clear, gleaming eyes who skated forward, a grin on his youthful face as Genki gaped back at him.

The four 'rebels' –not the rebels– moved in, each singling out the one they resembled.

* * *

Vanity's haughty laughter rang out again, and the pixie hybrid sprung lightly to her feet, a sneer on her face. Turning back toward the wall where the hidden chamber was sealed away, she repeated the spell from before. As the portal flickered back into existence, still covered by translucent crystal, Hare looked up at the pixie, his expression betraying both anger and fear.

"Why have you revealed the chamber again?" he asked.

"Why, Hare," she teased, her eyes mock innocent, "don't act like that! I just thought that you would be pleased to see one of your friends again."

"What do you mean?" Hare demanded, getting to his feet and walking toward the sealed entrance, his eyes locked on Vanity's sneering face. He didn't like what he thought he saw glittering in those verdant eyes.

"I brought Holly into my tower," she informed him, grinning. "The girl's currently making her way here, no doubt looking for you and her _dear_ friend Suezo. She's going to arrive soon enough. And when she does…"

Vanity trailed off into a laugh, and Hare's eyes widened with comprehension. Screaming in protest, he ran up and smashed his fists into the clear crystal, wincing as they crashed into the hard, diamond-like surface with no effect. He pounded on the wall, ignoring how Vanity simply laughed at his vain struggles, her eyes twinkling with amusement. After a few moments of mocking him, the pixie hybrid turned away, not the least bit concerned by his outrage. She knew that there was no way he could break the crystal; it was impossible from inside the chamber.

"Don't you_ dare _drag the others into this!" Hare screamed, eyes wavering as he smashed his paws into the clear, impenetrable crystal. "If you try to hurt the others, I'll kill you, I swear it! Do you hear me? If you so much as _touch_ Holly, _I'll kill you!_"

* * *

Holly reached the top of the glittering staircase. In front of her, a massive door stretched up into the shadows above her, its crystalline surface engraved with a breathtaking mural depicting a lovely pixie flying across a star-studded sky. The pixie's shapely figure was inlaid with streaks of gold, leaving little doubt of just who this was supposed to be a picture of.

Holly rested one hand against the door's surface, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath. Her other hand tightened around the hilt of her father's talisman, her father's dagger…Slowly, she eased it out of its sheath. Opening her eyes, she glanced down at it, weighing it in her palm. Then, she raised her gaze back to the entrance and pushed the heavy doors open. Heart pounding, she stepped inside, letting the doors swing shut behind her.


	14. Master Vanity: Holly's Tears

* * * Chapter Three: Holly's Tears * * *

Holly gasped as she burst into a massive, crystalline chamber, nearly stunned to silence by its sheer beauty. Several feet away from where she stood, a staircase that looks like it had been carved out of pure diamonds led up to a towering platform, upon which Holly could make out a figure sitting in a throne.

"Holly!" Hare cried. The girl stared up in the direction of his voice; she couldn't see him sealed behind the crystal mirror from where she was standing. But he could see her clearly, and he pounded on the enchanted glass to get her attention.

Holly's gaze wandered up the towering staircase before her, and she gasped as she finally saw Vanity standing at the top. The blond pixie's ivory-colored robes billowed around her slender form, and her green eyes glittered like twin emeralds as she sneered down at the human girl. Only the haughty smirk on her delicate face marred the illusion of what otherwise looked like a goddess looming over her.

"Holly, isn't it?" she sneered, eyes raking the girl critically. She arched an eyebrow, commenting "A simple name for such a common-looking girl. But then, I suppose that the stresses of traveling do play havoc on a lady's features. Such a pity…"

Holly felt her face turn as scarlet as her tunic, and she self-consciously looked down at her feet. The blond pixie giggled at her discomfort, completely ignoring the now coldly furious Hare glaring at her back.

"Don't listen to her, Holly!" he shouted. "She's just trying to distract you! Look out!"

"Huh?" Holly snapped her head up in time to see a bolt of silver lightning streaking down toward her. She instinctively dodged away, letting the bolt strike the ground where she had been standing and fizzle out. 

Vanity grimaced, and flung a nasty look behind her at Hare. "Spoilsport," she hissed under her breath. Hare responded by pulling on his eyelid and sticking his tongue out at her.

Holly got back to her feet and glared up at Vanity. Determined not to let herself be distracted again, she called out, "You may look pretty on the outside, but you remind me of the old saying that beauty is only skin deep. You're nothing more than a vain old hag!"

__

Wow, I didn't know that Holly could slam people like that, Hare thought. Vanity looked just as thunderstruck by Holly's words: her face paled to a faint yellow, but quickly darkened to deep saffron.

"Hag? You called me a vain old _hag?_" she fumed, her eyes flashing violently. She quickly regained her composure, however, and sneered down at Holly again, saying, "Well, why don't you come up here and discuss that little notion with my dear servant?"

She gestured invitingly with one hand, and a figure hopped out of the shadows next to her and into Holly's view. The human girl stared up at him, and she breathed the name like a helpless prayer.

"Suezo…"

Vanity draped her arms around the yellow eyeball monster, smirking down at Holly. Her slender fingers caressed the monster's skin, playing with the all-too-familiar medallion she had pinned onto him. Emerald eyes glittered as they drank in the sight of Holly's wavering brown eyes.

"Why, whatever is wrong, poor dear?" she mocked, arching an eyebrow. "I thought you'd be delighted to see your old friend again."

"Suezo!" Holly cried desperately. The eyeball glared down at her, his expression cold and uncaring. There was no sign of his former love and devotion to her in his darkened, green-gold eye.

Suddenly Holly was running, her boot heels clacking against the crystalline steps as she dashed up them. She had to get to Suezo, had to talk to him, had to somehow make him tell her what was happening…Vanity was sneering at her, mocking her, and her voice rang in the human girl's ears as she ran.

"You poor, poor dear," the pixie was saying, "you must feel so abandoned! Your dear friend seems to have chosen this 'old hag' over you! Why, imagine that!"  
  
"Suezo didn't choose anything, you hag!" Hare's voice suddenly cried out, slicing through the fog of emotions engulfing Holly. "You forced him to choose you with your charm magic! You've turned him into a mindless zombie!"

"Your point being?" Vanity replied, glancing back at the rabbit. Holly felt something snap inside of her, and as she reached the top of the stairway, she yanked out her father's dagger and lunged toward the pixie.

Vanity easily dodged away from the flashing blade, and Suezo fell back as Holly whirled around and lashed out blindly at the golden pixie. The female monster smirked at her, keeping just out of arms reach, taunting her, while Hare looked on in silent horror.

Suezo suddenly lashed out with his tail, and Holly cried out as she was knocked backwards, her back of her head throbbing. The girl's foot slipped, and she and Hare screamed together as the human girl fell over the edge of the platform, back down the stairway. Her scream was abruptly choked off as her back collided with the cold crystalline stairs, and she tumbled down to the floor far below. Suezo watched her body as it rolled down the stairs and skidded to a halt at their feet, his cold eye emotionless.

"_Holly!_" Hare shrieked, tears springing to his widened eyes. He pounded against the cage's smooth, transparent surface with trembling fists; his gaze locked on Holly's motionless form. "Holly, get up, _please! Holly!_"

The brown-haired girl made no response, lying sprawled out at the foot of the stairs. Hare stared down at her, half-blinded by tears. Vanity's mocking laughter rang in his ears.

* * *

"TORPEDO!" Tiger called, cursing as the other Tiger of the Wind –not him– reflected it with his own attack. The blue wolf risked a quick glance over at the others; they were having the same problem he was. The two Genkis were skating circles around one another, one or the other occasionally darting in to try and attack the other boy, only to miss every time. The two stone giants were locked in a grappling match with no apparent advantage over each other, while the two Mocchis were trading Cherry Blossom Blizzards –neither hitting their marks.

"Any luck, you guys?" the real Genki called. Tiger knew it was the real Genki because, as they had discovered shortly after meeting 'themselves', the doubles were completely mute. But that was the only difference between them, and didn't really help either side gain a foothold.

"No matter what I throw at this guy, he always dodges!" the blue wolf complained, launching another attack even as he spoke. The other Tiger leaped to the side, and the real Tiger cursed again. "He knows all of my moves!"

"Wait a second…_that's it!_" Genki shouted. He suddenly broke off combat with his double and raced toward where the two Mocchis were fighting. "Mocchi, cover me!" he yelled.

"Chi?" asked the real Mocchi, who took one glance over at the rapidly approaching Genki, freaked out, and scrambled to get out of the way. Genki flashed past him, and the real Mocchi exclaimed in surprise as the boy sank his fist into the face of the pink double, sending it flying backward.

"Help each other out!" Genki yelled triumphantly, scooping up the real Mocchi in his arms. "Don't waste time fighting yourself!"

"Got it, kid!" Tiger shouted, and he launched his Torpedo attack at the back of the fake Golem. As the double roared and let go of the other's hands, the real Golem stumbled backwards, a stunned expression on his face. Smirking, Tiger leaped at the fake Genki, his claws raking the double's shirt.

Genki screamed and skidded to a stop, dropping Mocchi as he folded over, holding his stomach. Tiger glanced over at him, startled. _Did one of the other doubles hit him?_

"Tiger, look out-chi!"

Tiger looked up just in time to see the double Mocchi leaping toward him. Snarling, Tiger unleashed his lightning, blowing the fake back.

Behind him, Mocchi screamed. Tiger whirled around and raced to his side, looking around for whatever had attacked him. None of the doubles seemed to be nearby; instead, the only thing near the little pink monster was Genki, still doubled over in apparent pain. The boy lifted his arms, and Tiger gasped silently.

A row of scratches had torn the boy's shirt open. As Tiger stared at it, Genki raised his gaze and stared at something behind the blue wolf. His clear brown eyes widened, and he opened his mouth to shout a warning.

Too late. Tiger turned around just in time to receive a wicked kick from the double Genki across his muzzle. Snarling, the blue wolf coughed up blood, and a thin trickle ran out the side of his mouth as he glared up at the fake, his horns glowing as he charged his Lightning.

Suddenly his golden eyes noticed something else, and widened with shock. The fake Tiger was standing just behind the fake Genki, snarling at them.

And a thin trickle of blood was coming out of his mouth.

Tiger stared at his double, comprehension dawning at last. The real Golem lumbered up behind them, breathing hard, and the blue wolf knew that the stone giant's back was bothering him.

"If we hit them, we get hurt," the stone giant rumbled darkly.

"And if they hit us, they get hurt," Tiger finished, staring at the doubles bleakly as they slowly advanced upon them. Despite himself, he began to feel his hope drain away, and only his stubbornness kept him rooted to the spot as the fake rebels drew closer to them.

* * *

"Holly!" The human girl was still sprawled out, motionless, and for one terrible moment Hare considered the possibility that her neck had snapped during her fall. He tore his gaze away from her body and glared at Vanity. The blond pixie hybrid was still laughing, eyes gleaming as she gazed down at the fallen girl. Beside her, Suezo stood at mindless attention, waiting for her next command.

"Ohhh…Suezo…"

Vanity stopped laughing abruptly and stared down at Holly's body. Hare followed her gaze, and felt his eyes widen as the girl slowly got to her feet. He breathed the girl's name, eyes wavering.

Holly propped herself up on one knee, gasping for breath. Her normally soft brown eyes were hard and cold as she fixed her gaze on the startled Vanity, who was still standing at the top of the stairs staring blankly at the human girl.

"How…how is that possible?" the pixie breathed.

"I'm…not giving up," Holly gasped, her breath coming hard. "My friends are counting on me…" Her fingers tightened around her father's talisman, her father's dagger, and suddenly she yanked it out of its sheath and raced up the stairs.

Vanity exclaimed, and hastily summoned a fireball to her hands. But before she could fire, Holly was suddenly in front of her. The girl knocked the pixie down, and the fireball fizzled harmlessly out of existence as Holly held her father's blade a fraction of an inch away from Vanity's neck.

"Holly!" Hare cried out, and Holly flicked a startled glance over at him without moving away from Vanity. The rabbit's eyes wavered, but he still managed to cast a meaningful look over at Suezo, who was still standing mindlessly nearby, a completely blank expression on his face. Understanding his concern, Holly tightened her sweaty grip on the dagger's hilt and held it closer to Vanity's neck.

"Let them go. _Now,_" she commanded, struggling to keep her voice from cracking. The golden-skinned pixie looked up at her, emerald eyes wide.

And then Vanity started laughing.

Holly and Hare stared at the crazy pixie, stunned. Vanity didn't appear to be the least bit concerned by the edge of the dagger hovering so dangerously near her. Instead, she smiled up at Holly with what looked like an almost admiring expression.

"So, you are a fighter," she said. "I truly underestimated you. I apologize. Now, if you'll let me get up, I'll show you how to free your friend from my charms, as well as the others."

Holly held her dagger close to the pixie's neck, biting her lip as she considered. Vanity continued to smile at her, a winning grin that slowly began to ease the human girl's fear. She allowed Vanity to get to her feet, although she kept her blade hovering close to the pixie's neck. Hare watched the pixie closely, the Phoenix's Tear slowly becoming a warm sensation under his kerchief. He had a bad feeling about this…

Vanity turned to face Holly and Suezo. Smiling, she began to make a series of strange movements with her slender arms, and a silvery light surrounded Suezo. Holly stared at her friend, throat constricting as the glimmering mist wrapped around him.

Too late Hare realized what was happening. "Holly, _look out!_"

Holly gasped as the silver mist spread to her, engulfing her. Coughing, she instinctively tried to cover her mouth, only to find that she could not raise her arms. In fact, her entire body had become rigid, and she was unable to move anything other than her eyes and mouth.

"What's happening?" she cried out, terrified. Her own body had become her prison. Vanity's haughty laughter rang in her ears again.

"Why, I've set Suezo's mind free of my control," the pixie leered at her. "Now, he's merely in a special trance. He won't feel a thing until I break off this spell. Besides, I couldn't very well control him _and_ you."

"_What?_" Holly exclaimed. In response, Vanity raised her arm, and Holly gasped as she felt her own arm raise in exactly the same way. Smirking, the pixie lowered her arm and began to sway in a sort of dance. Unable to resist, Holly's body mimicked the moves perfectly, while Hare watched in silent horror.

"I've always loved this spell," Vanity commented, her ivory dress billowing and swaying as she moved, her blond hair swirling around her face. She cast a glance over at Hare as she added, "This will be the perfect spell for me to use later when I present you to either Naga or Master Moo; I haven't decided which one I'll go to yet. Either way, they'll be extremely pleased that I can control the Phoenix's Tear…even if it is through you."

Hare gulped, trying to harden his expression so that neither female could see the fear that statement caused to well up inside of him. He looked over at Suezo, who was still standing motionless inside of the silver mist, his eye fogged over.

Vanity continued her strange dance; Holly unable to resist moving in synch with the pixie's every movement. After a moment, the dancing had maneuvered Holly in such a way that she was now facing Suezo, staring right into his blank, pupiless eye. As Holly felt tears of sympathy for her friend spring to her eyes, Vanity made a sudden swipe with her hand.

Holly gasped as her arm flashed forward, and she felt something hard in her hand sink into something soft, then rip back out. As her hand came back toward her, she nearly screamed as she realized that her dagger was still in her hand.

But now its edge was stained in blood. Holly stared at Suezo's face, her throat constricting as she spotted the bleeding gash that had just been created down the side of his face. She would have trembled, but her body was no longer hers to control.

Vanity's mocking laughter rang in her ears again. "Nice slice, Holly dear," she complimented the human girl, continuing her dance. "Too bad you missed his eyeball. But then, I can correct that whenever I want…"

She swept up her arm, and Holly screamed as she felt the dagger rip through Suezo's flesh again, this time tearing a gash in his side. Vanity proceeded with her dancing, and Holly's body followed the moves, circling around the paralyzed Suezo, her dagger flashing out again and again. Helpless tears ran down Holly's face, and she struggled without any success to break free of the terrifying control that Vanity had over her.

Hare pounded against the hard, unyielding surface of the crystal doorway, ignoring the fact that he was making no progress whatsoever. Over and over again, his fists slammed into the translucent barrier, while he screamed at Holly to fight back, that she could break free of this spell. Angry tears stained his fur, and his paws throbbed painfully, but he refused to stop trying to break free.

Vanity maneuvered herself so that she was standing in front of the crystal chamber, and she smirked over her shoulder at Hare. "Don't worry, little rabbit," she leered at him, "This'll be over very soon."

Hare glared at her, his eyes wavering with a mixture of fear and loathing. His paws finally stopped beating against the transparent barrier, but they remained resting against it as he stared out at what was happening.

Vanity whirled around, and Holly turned to stared right at Suezo. The pixie forced her to back up a few steps, her gaze locked on the eyeball monster, and she raised her arm. The bloodstained edge of her dagger glimmered as she raised it, bringing her arm back.

"Let's see how good your aim is, dearie," Vanity mocked, a smirk twisting her lips. "You're going to try and hit the center of the target. Try and make a Suezo's eye, girl!"

She laughed at her own joke, and Hare gritted his teeth in disgust. As Holly brought her arm back, taking aim, he clutched the Phoenix's Tear tightly in his paws.

Underneath her tunic, Holly felt the Magic Stone become warm, and she realized that it was glowing. Staring into Suezo's pupiless eye, the human girl felt something snap deep inside of her, and her eyes became hard with determination.

"_Now!_" Vanity called, sweeping her arm forward.

Holly pivoted on her heel and flung her dagger forward with all of her might.

"_WHAT?_" Vanity shrieked at the sight of the slender blade flashing toward her. The blond pixie leaped to one side, exclaiming as she felt the sharp edge graze past her cheek. Behind her, Hare cried out and flung himself to the floor as the blade crashed into the clear mirror. The sound of shattering crystal echoed through the room.

Holly fell to her knees, gasping, trembling, finally freed from the control spell. Sweat rolled down her face and back, and for a moment she simply reveled in the fact that she could move out of her own free will again.

"…ly…Hol…ly…"

Holly raised her head, her eyes wavering as her gaze fell on Suezo's fallen body. The eyeball monster was crumpled beside her, blood trickling from numerous cuts, and she pulled herself to his side. His eye slowly focused on her, and Holly could feel his anguish.

"Hol…ly…" he choked, tears flowing down his wounded face. "Wha…what I did before…it wasn't me…I couldn't stop myself…I couldn't control…"

Tears misted Holly's eyes, and she draped her arms around her friend's body, pulling him closer as she whispered, "I know, Suezo. I know."

Vanity, meanwhile, was stroking her right cheek with slender, trembling fingers. Her emerald eyes were wide with shock as she traced over a thin line, and she drew back her hand to stare at bloodstained fingers.

"You cut…my face," she breathed, her shoulders shaking. Her eyes fixed on Holly and suddenly narrowed. _"You cut my beautiful face!_" she shrieked, and a ball of crackling energy pulsed to life in her hands. Vanity launched it toward Holly and Suezo, screaming, "You little bitch, _I'll kill you!_"

Holly tore her gaze away from her friend's wounds just in time to see the lightning ball surging toward them. Her eyes widened, and she froze, rooted to the spot by her own fear. Her arms tightened around Suezo in a vice-like grip.

The glittering yellow light streaked toward them, only to suddenly vanish in mid-air as a crimson radiance sprung to life around them. As Holly watched, stunned, a flickering shield glittered around her and the eyeball, and she heard Vanity curse in a very unlady-like manner.

"It's over, Vanity."

The pixie hybrid whirled around and glared behind her. Hare was standing in front of what remained of her shattered hidden doorway, his fur gleaming with a fiery aura similar to the shield around Holly and Suezo. The Phoenix's Tear flashed bloodfire at his throat, no longer hidden by his kerchief.

"I'm not going to let you hurt my friends anymore," he told her, paws balling into fists.

Vanity just glared at him, unmoved. In her eyes, he didn't appear to be so threatening. She could see shards of crystal glittering here and there in his fur; he hadn't managed to completely avoid getting cut when Holly's dagger had struck the cage. In her mind, this little rabbit was no match for her beauty and power, even with the Phoenix's Tear.

"You're out of your league, little rabbit," she hissed, green eyes glittering. Hare frowned, and pointed his paws at the pixie. A stream of crimson fire flashed out toward her.

Smirking, Vanity raised her mirror. The blaze roared into it and vanished, the mirror glowing as it absorbed the power. Hare's eyes widened in shock, and Vanity leered at him as she leveled the mirror with him and sent the energy back at the rabbit.

Something glinted at the edge of Hare's vision, and he glanced over at Holly's dagger, still lying in the shattered remains of the crystal chamber. As the energy raced toward him, he darted toward the blade, seized its handle, and turned and flung it back at the blond pixie, all in one smooth motion.

At the same moment when the explosion from the energy ball flung Hare toward where Holly and Suezo were, the dagger struck Vanity's magic mirror.

Holly paid no attention to Vanity's outraged scream; her terrified gaze instead followed Hare's body as the little rabbit skidded to a stop beside her. She called out his name, and for a moment got the sinking feeling that he would be unable to answer her. After a breathless moment, however, she heard a soft moan, and Hare slowly propped himself up on his arms.

"Did it work?" he asked groggily.

Before Holly could reply, Suezo suddenly flung himself against her back, screaming, "Down!" The two crashed into Hare and a moment later, she heard a muted thump, and felt Suezo twitch once. Hare shrieked the eyeball monster's name, and Holly gasped as she opened her eyes to see her father's talisman sticking out of Suezo's side, the blade buried in his body.

"Hol…ly…are you hurt?" he asked, his eye fogged over with pain.

"I'm okay," Holly managed to reply, her eyes wavering. She attempted to pull the dagger out of his side, but her trembling fingers refused to close around the hilt. Then Hare was suddenly beside her, and he swiftly yanked the blade out, holding one paw against the wound to stop the flow of blood that followed. The dagger clattered to the floor as the rabbit suddenly whirled around, the crimson energy shield flickering around them again.

"Damnit…I missed," Vanity sneered, energy forming around her clenched fists. Her tattered silk robes billowed around her form, and her short blond hair swayed around her sneering face. Eyes as hard as jade were wide with a demented glee as she slowly approached them.

Hare moved to stand between her and his friends, trying to keep Suezo and Holly shielded behind him as much as possible. A few shards from the crystal chamber still glittered in his fur, which took on a crimson luminance as he summoned the fire aura. Its faint flickering light cast shadows over Holly's stricken face as she cradled Suezo in her arms.

Vanity's smirk grew wider, distorting her face. The new scar in her right cheek throbbed slightly, but she ignored it. _Judging by the paleness of that aura, the little rabbit's much weaker than he's trying to appear. Well, isn't that just too sad…_

Her fingers tightened around her magic mirror. It had deflected the rabbit's pathetic attempt to hurt her with the dagger before, and now she would use it to destroy him and his two friends with their own powers. She raised the mirror, clutching it in both hands, and leveled it with the three, waiting until she could see their reflections in its center.

She failed to notice the hairline crack that stretched across its otherwise smooth surface.

Breathing hard, Hare pointed his palms toward Vanity. He gritted his teeth, wincing as he forced energy to form in his outstretched paws. As he released the thin beam of light, he fell back to his knees, the fiery aura flickering fainter and fainter.

"_POWER REFLECTION!_" Vanity shouted, letting the weak energy bolt strike her mirror and be absorbed.

A sharp cracking noise echoed through the crystalline room. Vanity screamed as her magic mirror shattered, and the released energy flowed into her body.

Hare gasped, and the aura around his fur faded away as he stared at the pixie hybrid. Behind him, Holly slowly got to her feet, Suezo leaning against her, her eyes wavering as she watched Vanity suffer.

"No! Not me!" Vanity shrieked, the energy coursing through her veins. Her beautiful ivory robes billowed around her writhing form, soon burning away to charred strands. Her skin glowed as if lit from within, and Vanity groaned as she dropped to her knees. Her magic mirror clattered to the floor, a huge crack nearly splitting it in two.

"Why? I was so close…" she wailed.

"You've brought this upon yourself," Holly answered softly, her soft chestnut eyes misting with sympathetic tears. "All of your scheming…your disregard for others…this is the end result."

Vanity's dimming green eyes locked upon Holly's face, and she reached one trembling hand toward the human girl. Holly lowered her eyes, draping her arms around Hare and Suezo. Vanity wailed again and dropped to the cold crystal floor, her form still glowing. She felt all of her spells slip away, broken.

* * *

Genki and the others gasped in surprise as their doubles suddenly vanished into midair, blown away like a candle's flame in a storm. The chamber that they were in shifted and changed, morphing into a new room. A crystal staircase appeared before them, and the four quickly moved toward it, knowing that it would lead them to the others.

* * *

Holly pulled Hare and Suezo closer to her, and the three watched silently as Vanity's glowing form shrank and twisted. The light faded, leaving behind a lost disc where the pixie hybrid had lain. Beside it, the cracked magic mirror lay abandoned. Holly slowly walked over and picked it up.

"Beauty means nothing if your heart is not beautiful too," she murmured, eyes wavering as she gazed at her broken reflection in the glass. "I'm sorry that you never learned that."

The magic mirror glimmered once, then slowly crumbled into shimmering dust. Holly let it flow out of her cupped hands, watching as it trickled to the floor.

The silence was finally shattered when Suezo let out a soft groan and nearly collapsed. Hare jerked and quickly scrambled to support the eyeball, the Phoenix's Tear gleaming as he used what little spare energy he had left to seal the worst of Suezo's wounds.

Holly walked back over and gently helped Suezo steady himself. Her gaze fell on the medallion still fastened on him, and she rested her palm on it for a moment. Then, in a sudden, convulsive movement, she yanked it off, the chain snapping sharply. She turned and flung it as far away as she could, letting it slam into the far wall.

Suezo and Hare just watched her, eyes wavering. The girl trembled for a moment, then turned back toward them. She knelt and picked up her father's dagger from the ground, sliding it back into its sheath. Then she walked over and stood on Suezo's other side, letting her friend lean against her for support. The three walked out together to rejoin their friends, leaving behind the echoingly empty crystalline room.


	15. Sacrifices: Responsiblity

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Sacrifices

* * * Chapter One: Responsibility * * *

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* Where…am I? *

Hare opened wavering brown eyes and gazed around him at the pulsating colors that surrounded him. A fiery vermilion dominated his sight, though he could catch glimpses of other shades through the brilliant flames.

* What…is this? *

A warm feeling rose from deep within his chest, threatening to consume his very being. Hare fought against it, forcing it back, even through a nagging feeling at the back of his mind urged him to let it take over.

****

~ Go on. Don't fight the fire. ~

* NO! Go AWAY! Who are you, and what do you want with me? *

A breathy sigh seemed to echo in his mind, and the vermilion flames that swirled around him flickered slightly. Hare whirled around, trying to catch a glimpse of the speaker through the blazing light. Nothing came to his searching eyes, but he could sense an overwhelming presence somewhere close by, watching him.

****

~ Why do you continue to fight me? ~

* LEAVE ME ALONE! What to you want from me? *

The strange voice seemed to sigh again, and the light began to dwindle away, just as the heat in the rabbit's chest faded slowly. A terrible coldness replaced it, and Hare gasped and fell to his knees, shivering.

* Why are you doing this? *

****

~ To make you see…to make you understand… ~

* Understand what?*

There was no answer, only a terrible darkness that hung over the rabbit like an ebony blanket. Raising his head, Hare gasped as something appeared in front of him. He watched in horror as his friends appeared in front of him, frozen like statues, staring blankly into the darkness at some terror at he was unable to see at first. Then the cause of their fearful expressions rose in front of them, and Hare opened his mouth in a silent scream as he stared up at the featureless, looming shadow.

* Is that…Moo? *

Ebony flames shot from what appeared to be the gigantic creature's mouth, and they swept over the bodies of the others. Hare watched, terrified, as the six forms of his friends were consumed by the darkness and shattered into pieces, and tears flowed unchecked down his cheeks.

****

~ See this and understand, little one. You and your friends will have to suffer much more than this in order to achieve your ultimate goal. ~

* Suffer more than death? What does that mean?*

The only answer came in the roar of the black flames as they surged around him, not touching his body even as they seared the darkness around them. Hare closed his eyes and screamed, and the warmth in his chest came rushing back and raged into his body, seeming to set his very soul itself ablaze. Red flames surrounded him and clashed with the black, lighting up the entire world with their glow.

* * *

Hare snapped awake with a soft cry, and he quickly glanced around at the other searchers, hoping that he hadn't awakened them. Seeing that none of them appeared to be awake, he sighed in relief. Getting silently to his feet, he crept away from the silent campsite and walked over to the nearby stream that wound through the valley. Kneeling on the riverbank, he splashed cold water onto his face and shook the glimmering droplets out of his fur.

"Another weird dream," he muttered under his breath, irritably brushing wet bangs away from his troubled eyes. "I guess it was naïve of me to think that they would stop after we got rid of Joker. After all, they've been coming to me ever since I got the Phoenix's Tear…"

Sighing, Hare reached under his bandana and absently fingered the glittering crystal teardrop. The mystical artifact gave him the ability to use tremendous powers, but that didn't necessarily mean that he wanted them. While it was nice at times to be able to heal his wounds on his own when they got a little too rough, there were plenty of other aspects of being able to control the Tear that he would have gladly gone without. The visions that constantly haunted his dreams were a perfect example.

There were other problems as well, the primary one being Naga. Just the thought of the reptilian monster made Hare shudder. Naga was the last remaining member of the Big Bad Four, the most elite of Moo's soldiers, and the primary cause of all the pain and suffering that the little rabbit had gone through. Because of the snake-like monster, Hare had lost his family, his friends, his hometown…his entire world, swept away by flames set by Naga and his troops. Afterwards, Naga had captured him and imprisoned him simply because he felt it would be amusing. Hare had only managed to escape after Naga found the Phoenix's Tear, and had somehow used its powers to teleport himself far from the reptilian's claws.

Now Naga was trying to recapture his 'little rabbit', and secure that power for himself. And it didn't matter to the purple-scaled monster what the cost might be, how many monsters and people might have to suffer or die, just as long as Hare came back under his control again. So far, it looked as though Naga's minions agreed with him on that, or at least didn't have the guts to protest against what he was doing. The recent encounter with Vanity had proved that for certain…

Hare sighed as quietly as he could, and walked back toward where the others were gathered, still asleep. The little rabbit couldn't keep himself from glancing nervously over at Suezo as he walked past the snoring eyeball monster. Even the peaceful, relaxed look on the sleeping monster's face couldn't keep Hare from thinking about all the horrible things that he had done a few days before. His shoulder seemed to ache for a moment from remembered pain, even though Hare had healed the wound that Suezo had given him when he bit him.

It wasn't Suezo's fault, of course. It was Vanity's fault; it was her charm spell that had clouded the eyeball monster's mind and made him attack his friends, to even strike Holly and send her plummeting down a staircase. Even Tiger understood that, although Golem had still been forced to hold the blue wolf back when Hare, Holly and Suezo had reunited with the others. It was obvious that the lupine monster wasn't the only one who blamed Suezo for what had happened: Suezo clearly blamed himself as well. In the few days that had passed since then, the eyeball monster had been unusually quiet, trudging along silently behind the others instead of hopping alongside Holly like normal. He seemed to be afraid to even look at Holly, like he didn't feel worthy enough to be anywhere near her anymore. Without Suezo's constant jabbering and complaining, an awkward silence hung over the rebels. Even Genki was affected, and had been acting a little subdued.

__

Let's face it, Hare thought gloomily to himself, _this team is on the verge at coming apart at the seams. Nobody wants to admit it, but it's true._ He shuddered again; the mere thought of the team splitting up frightened him. After all, they were 'the courageous seven,' the 'searchers,' the 'Anti-Moo rebels.' They were the only ones with enough bravery –though some might call it stupidity– to openly resist Moo and go looking for the Phoenix…the one monster who could possibly overthrow the dark master. If they ended up separating, it would mean the end of any sort of hope that the world had of shaking off Moo's control. It would also mean the end of the closest thing that he had to an actual family.

Hare paused, a little startled. For some reason, it seemed a little strange to think of the others as being like a family to him, and he looked around at them as if seeing them for the first time. A smile tugged at the edge of his mouth; as weird as that might sound to somebody, it still had a ring of truth to it. His actual parents had been killed by Naga what seemed like an eternity ago, along with the rest of the monsters and people in his village. They had been everything he had ever known up to that point, and losing them had meant losing an entire lifetime. Now he had a new life, and in the rest of the group, he had found what in a sense might been seen as a new family.

__

Even if the feeling isn't mutual, Hare thought, glancing over at Tiger, _it's still there. It might actually mean something._ That notion comforted him as he slowly drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Surprisingly, Golem was the first one up the next morning, and when Hare awoke he saw the stone giant calmly and silently waiting for the others to get up on their own. His quiet patience was a stark contrast with Genki, who immediately started bouncing around the meadow and calling for the others to get up the moment he was awake.

"Come on, everybody, rise and shine! Wake up, Suezo, Tiger, Mocchi, Holly! It's a beautiful new day!" he gushed. The others rose reluctantly; Tiger muttering a few choice words about the boy's early-morning enthusiasm. Hare didn't hear exactly what he mumbled, but decided to count that as a good thing.

The routine went as normal; everybody gathered their things, Holly doubled-checked the Magic Stone one last time, and then off they went, walking along another dirt path continuing their search for the Phoenix. However, the same awkwardness that had haunted the trip for the past few days still remained hanging over them. Suezo hopped along in complete silence, eye downcast, keeping his distance from both Holly and Tiger. The two kept glancing back in his general direction, the girl with sorrow shining clearly in her soft brown eyes, the blue wolf's golden eyes distrusting and accusing. Hare gulped; the tension between those three was almost like an electricity in the air, ready to spark at any given moment.

"So…" Genki said at length, desperate to break the silence. "Do you think we'll see any of Naga's baddies today?"

"Probably," Tiger mumbled. "We're due."

Hare almost made a sarcastic response to that comment, but he knew that the blue wolf did have a point; they hadn't had much trouble with baddies lately. Except for a minor scuffle with a few very confused Suezo-types near Vanity's tower, they hadn't really encountered many of Moo or Naga's warriors. Not that it was necessarily a bad thing, of course, but it was something for the group to focus on, and distracted them temporarily distracted them from the more personal problems they were having.

"Welllllll…even if they are out there, it doesn't really matter," Genki said at length, a confident grin spreading over his face as he glanced back at the others. "After all, we've beaten everything they've thrown at us before. Besides, remember…"

"…You're the Monster Champion, yada, yada, yada," Suezo suddenly finished for him. "We know, we know already."

Genki and the others glanced quickly back at him: it was the first time he had made a sarcastic comment –or, really, any type of comment– since the encounter with Vanity. The eyeball monster kept looking down at the dirt road beneath them, deliberately avoiding their gaze, and an awkward silence came for a few moments. Genki broke it after a few moments' pause, shrugging and turning his attention back to the road ahead.

"Hey Mocchi, race you to the end of the path," he challenged, skating ahead even as he spoke.

"That's not fair-chi!" Mocchi protested, rolling into a ball and bouncing after the boy. The two raced ahead and soon disappeared over a hill in the road, and the other searchers exchanged glances and sighed together, following after them.

"How much do you wanna bet that we'll be hearing them screaming any minute now?" Hare asked, nudging Suezo gently. Before the eyeball monster could reply…

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"CHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

"………" Hare and Suezo both rolled their eyes (or, in Suezo's case, eye) in perfect unison. The two quickly followed after Holly, Golem, and a muttering Tiger as they dashed down the path.

"What type of monster, how many, and which one do I kill first?" Tiger demanded as he caught up to the two first. Genki and Mocchi just stared at him strangely, and the lupine monster looked around, confused. "Where are the baddies?" he asked at last.

"Huh? There…aren't…any…baddies…Tiger," Genki finally replied. Pointing ahead, he added, "It's just that…we didn't expect to see that up ahead."

The searchers all looked down the road to see an innocuous little village nestled between the rolling hills ahead of them. The blue wolf stared down at the town blankly; the vicious, battle-ready sneer on his muzzle drooping into what almost looked like a pout.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Hare commented, seeing the expression on Tiger's face. "Looks like no fighting this time." He leaped back to avoid getting hit by the swipe the blue wolf aimed irritably at him, and dashed away toward the town, laughing the whole way. A snarling Tiger followed him, while the others just stood on the hilltop and sweatdropped.

* * *

By the time the other searchers had caught up to them, Tiger had managed to corner a now visibly worried Hare, who had taken refugee in a tree. Holly coaxed the blue wolf into allowing the rabbit to climb down safely, and the two glared at each other from opposite sides of the girl as they filed into the village. However, any harsh feelings they had toward each other at that moment were soon forgotten as the searchers began to examine their surroundings a little more closely.

"This can't be right," Holly commented, gazing around at the silent buildings that towered around them. Except for themselves, the streets were echoingly empty, even though it was still early in the afternoon. The bare booths of merchants flanked the quiet roads, with nothing displayed on their shelves. The rebels looked around a little apprehensively, and Tiger growled low in his throat.

"Looks like the baddies were here," he snarled, and Golem nodded silently. Mocchi, Hare, and Suezo glanced nervously at one another, and then at Holly.

"Maybe…maybe there are some survivors?" Genki suggested weakly. Holly shook her head slightly in doubt, but the searchers still agreed to split up and search for some sort of sign as to what had happened. The courageous seven branched off in different directions, each praying that they would find something positive even in this place.

"After all, it's not like the place is trashed," Genki murmured to himself, clear eyes scanning the buildings as he skated past. "If the baddies had been here, wouldn't they have trashed the place? We'd find some sort of sign…"

Still, even Genki couldn't escape the feeling of dread that slowly spread over the rebels as they wandered through the barren streets. Suezo hopped silently from house to house, peering briefly in each window, then shaking his head despairingly as he looked away, avoiding the eyes of the others. Golem spotted something lying half-buried in the dirt road, and bent to pick up what turned out to be a handcrafted wooden doll. The small toy, lovingly carved by some unknown parent for their child, had suffered a broken leg, and its yarn hair fell in tangles over its soiled fabric dress. The stone giant cradled it absently in one massive hand as he gazed around at the soundless village, almost as if he was half-expecting its owner to come dashing out of hiding and reclaim it.

Mocchi began to sob, clinging to the hem of Holly's tunic for comfort, and Genki glanced back at them in concern. Tiger just shook his head again, golden eyes flashing.

"Moo," was all the blue wolf could say. "This is because of Moo. Him and Naga…"

Golem nodded silently, still gazing at the broken dolly cradled in his hand. After a moment, the stone giant rumbled, "Let's go. There is nothing here for us now."

"Yeah," Holly sighed, gazing up at the sun, which was beginning to complete its circuit in the sky. They had searched for a few hours now and still found…

A shriek from nearby took them off guard. Tiger cursed, quickly glancing over at the others and noticing that one was absent from the group.

"It figures," he snarled, turning and dashing toward where the scream had come from. As he ran, the others following behind him, he muttered, "Just what have you gotten yourself into now, Hare?"

Within a few moments, the lupine monster found Hare standing in the Center Square of the village, staring blankly in front of him. Tiger opened his mouth to start cussing the little rabbit out for screaming for no apparent reason, but the words died on his tongue the moment he saw what the other monster had already noticed. The other five searchers dashed up behind them, and Genki inhaled sharply as his clear eyes drank in the scene.

The Center Square was filled with lost discs. Several of the discs had actually been uprooted and placed in different positions, leading one to guess that they had probably been moved there for dramatic purposes. Tiger figured that Naga was no doubt trying to unnerve them with a display of his power. If that was the case, it had worked well: even the blue wolf was visibly shaken by the sight of all the lost discs gathered in one place. A snarl rumbled from deep in his chest, and golden eyes glinted like cold steel in narrowed slits.

"Hey, there's something written there," Suezo suddenly spoke up, squinting at the base of the Center Square statue. As the others stared at the eyeball, he hopped up to the marble base and leaned forward. Suddenly his pupil dilated, and he yelped, "Blood!" as he jumped backward. Running forward, Genki and the others cringed a little as they saw what he meant: a message had been scrawled on the gray marble slab with crimson swipes of blood. Tiger, the only one not affected by the sight, leaned forward to make out what it said.

**__**

I know that you will see this, my little rabbit. Consider this your warning. If you do not surrender yourself to me soon, others will continue to suffer for your disobedience. I suggest you give yourself up now, or do you enjoy having others pay for your actions? Until we meet again, Naga. 

"…That cold-blooded monster," Tiger snarled, breaking the silence that hung like a dead weight over the group. Genki growled, his clear eyes unusually dark.

Hare stepped backward, wavering eyes locked on the bloody scrawl, slowly shaking his head in disbelief. Holly and the others glanced back at him, clearly worried, and Genki took one step toward him, reaching out in a consoling manner.

"Hey, don't let it get to you…" he started to say. But before he could get the rest of his sentence out, Hare had already turned and run off, plunging blindly down the streets. Genki cried out in protest and jerked to go after the rabbit, but Tiger stepped in front of him, shaking his head.

"Better not," he warned, glaring in the direction that Hare had run off in. "Nothing you can say or do will make him feel any differently about this. Let him work this out on his own."

"Why, Tiger," Suezo commented mildly, eyeing the blue wolf. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say that it almost sounds like you do care a little about Hare after all…" He quickly shut up as Tiger glared at him, a huge sweatdrop appearing on the back of the eyeball monster's head.

* * *

Hare plunged blindly forward, his mind reeling with a thousand thoughts at once.

__

Naga killed the people of this village because of me, his mind repeated again and again. _It's all my fault…I'm to blame._ The thought lodged in his mind, refusing to be dispelled, and Hare choked as tears streamed from his eyes.

__

Shoot…no matter how far I run…it's not like it's going to change anything. When I stop, those people will still be dead…and it's all my fault. If I hadn't escaped from Naga in the first place…

Then he would have the Phoenix's Tear, and would probably have murdered those people anyway, the logical part of his mind kicked in. Hare slowed to a stop as that thought registered, realizing that it made sense. More sense than beating himself up over something that he couldn't change did, anyway. Yet even that concept couldn't stop the guilty tears from coming, and Hare buried his face in his paws and wept.

"How…many more are going to have to die because of me?" he wondered aloud. "It seems that no matter where I go, I have to cause some sort of pain…and now this…" He raised wavering eyes to stare up at the sky; the rays of the setting sun seemed to stain the horizon with blood.

"Darn it…even the others have gone through a lot because of me," he mused. "If Vanity hadn't been trying to get control of me, she never would have turned Suezo against the rest of us…I wonder…" He paused, trembling slightly as he continued, "How long is it gonna be…before one of them gets killed 'cause of me?"

The thought terrified the little rabbit, yet he couldn't get away from it. _If things keep going like this…it'll only be a matter of time before one of them…might die trying to help me…_

"Should…should I leave them for their sake?" he asked aloud, gazing at the orange-streaked sky as if for answers. When no answer came, the little rabbit sniffled one last time and, wiping away a few final tears, turned to retrace his steps back to the others.

__

Tiger'll come down on me for running away, he thought, a little bitterly. As he walked along, distracted by his thoughts, he failed to notice as a slimy blue tentacle slowly emerged from a dark alleyway and began to slither after him. Its end morphed into a hand, and it reached grasping fingers for the back of his neck.

The Phoenix's Tear suddenly flared into bright light, and Hare glanced down at it, then over his shoulder. Seeing the hand reaching toward him, he instinctively dodged aside, opening his mouth to cry out, "Wha-" Before he could finish his startled shout, another appendage shot from the shadows and wound itself around his neck, yanking him roughly off his feet and into the dark alleyway from which it had emerged.

As Hare gasped for breath, clawing at the slimy limb with both paws, he felt something else began to wrap itself around his neck. _A Sheet attack?_ He thought, recognizing the technique despite the darkness. That meant that his attackers had to be some type of Jells…He lashed out blindly with his paws and feet, trying to drive them away. Something seized his left arm and twisted it painfully behind his back, and the rabbit's eyes teared with fear and frustration.

"HE–" The desperate cry was cut off as unseen hands thrust a damp cloth against his face, covering his nose and mouth. A musty, overpowering odor swept into his system, and Hare's vision was already beginning to blur by the time he realized what was happening. The sleeping drug took effect quickly, and as the rabbit's struggles slowed, one of his attackers separated from the others.

"Phase One completed," Captain Icy Jell snickered, smirking as he looked at his unconscious captive. As the other Icy Jells began to form a gel cocoon around Hare's unresisting body, the commander motioned for a figure standing hidden in the shadows behind him to step forward. Turning to face his companion, he said, "You know the plan. Your assignment is simple enough: Get the rebels off guard and kill them."

The Jelly Hare nodded mutely. It reached over to the unconscious Hare's paw and touched him briefly. Its clear blue form rippled, then morphed into an exact copy of the little rabbit. As it drew its now tan-furred paw back to its side, the Jelly Hare smirked, a shadow falling over its face as it said in Hare's voice, "Mission accepted. Beginning Phase Two now."


	16. Sacrifices: Jelly Hare's Deception

* * * Chapter Two: Jelly Hare's Deception * * *

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," the little rabbit apologized as he ran back toward his friends, waving for them to wait up. Tiger of the Wind narrowed his golden eyes in a disapproving glare, yet the blue wolf didn't make any sort of comment as the other monster came up toward him and the others. Holly smiled, a little grateful that he had chosen not to make a big deal out of what had happened.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked as the brown-furred rabbit walked up next to her. He nodded, smiling reassuringly, and she returned his grin with a smile of her own.

"We should get moving, then, before the sun sets," Tiger decided, already turning out of the town as he spoke.

"Yeah," Suezo agreed nervously, glancing around at the silent walls of wood and stone on either side of them. "I'm not too thrilled of the concept of staying in this creepy place overnight."

"Agreed," Golem rumbled, and the stone giant lumbered after the others as they made their way out of the city. Every few moments or so, he couldn't keep himself from glancing down at something hidden in his palm, even though he was careful to keep the others from seeing what it was. Normally, Golem didn't like to keep secrets from his friends, but he wasn't certain how they might react if they found out that he was still holding onto a small child's doll he had located in the empty town. He wasn't even certain himself why he was keeping it: it was painfully obvious to him that there was no chance of his being able to return it to its rightful owner…

As he lumbered after the others, the little brown rabbit trailed along behind him silently. If the stone giant had glanced backward instead of into his hand, he might have noticed the knowing smirk that flashed over the hare's face.

__

Look at these fools, the Jelly Hare gloated inwardly. _They really have no idea. They honestly believe that I'm their friend. This will be too easy…_

* * *

__

* Now where am I supposed to be? *

Hare glanced around in confusion, his eyes tracing up the side of the four towers that loomed in front of him. The pillars seemed to stretch up into the very heavens themselves, four black spires that stood out plainly against the reddish-orange, sun-streaked sky. Something glowed at their peaks, and the rabbit felt a distinct sense of foreboding as the pulsating lights brightened. A figure stepped into view, and Hare suddenly realized what had to be causing at least some of his ill feeling.

* Moo! *

The masked baddie swept grandly toward the four pillars, completely ignoring Hare as he brushed by. The rabbit kept a wary eye on the larger monster, not wanting to be caught off guard. A strange thought suddenly flashed into his mind.

* If Moo's supposed to be the ultimate evil, why in the world does he have fluffy pink hair? *

For some reason, the strangeness of that notion made Hare laugh, though the sound quickly trailed off as he continued to keep a close eye on Moo. Without so much as a glance in the rabbit's direction, the masked monster made a grandiose, sweeping gesture with his muscular arms, his golden armor glinting crimson in the fading rays of the sun. His jet-black cape fluttered in the sudden breeze that sprang up, and the wind soon seemed to gain the force of a gale, howling as it tore though the shadowy plains. Hare shielded his eyes with one of his arms, and he squinted to keep from losing sight of Moo.

Suddenly his eyes nearly doubled in size. Something was looming directly behind the four pillars; something huge that he'd somehow failed to notice before. Its immense bulk seemed to rise up from the ground itself, and Hare strained to make out its indistinct features. Even though he couldn't tell for certain what it looked like, he knew what it had to be; the burning sensation at his chest, the slow twisting in his gut told him.

* This has got to be… Moo's ancient body… *

Moo was laughing now, and the masked monster threw his arms even wider as if to embrace his old body as it towered above him. The four towers began to glow with a bizarre light, and Hare had to shield his face with both arms now to keep from being blinded. He stumbled forward awkwardly, driven forward by the terrible burning feeling that rose and curled from somewhere deep within.

* I've got to stop this! I can't let him… *

* But…what can I do? *

The question lodged in Hare's mind, torturing him almost as much as the sound of Moo's triumphant laughter. As the leader of the baddies stepped forward, eager to reclaim his old body, the rabbit did the only thing he could think of; bracing himself, he leveled his paws at the monster's back and sent a volley of bright crimson flames toward it. Hare poured all of his energy into the attack, despite the pain that started to surge through his slight frame, and as the blaze swept toward Moo, he dropped to the ground completely drained, unable to see if his aim had been true.

* * *

"Hey, will you be quiet over there?"

The angry shout pierced through the fogginess in the rabbit's mind, and Hare groaned softly as he forced his eyes open. The first thing he became aware of was the fact that he was cold, almost numbingly cold. He shivered and tried to curl into a ball to warm himself, only to discover that his movements were being severely hampered by some sort of blue gel that covered most of his body. The frigid gel was obviously what was chilling him to the bone, and Hare attempted to pull free of the sticky substance without much success. After a few moments of struggling, he gave up on that and instead tried to get a better look at his surroundings.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light, he realized that he wasn't alone in the room. Several puddles of ice blue slime, the same shade as the gel that arrested his movements, were spread out on the grimy stone floor of the building. Hare recognized the sub-breed type at once.

"Icy Jells," he half-thought, half-whispered. Glancing around as best he could, he decided that the hybrids must have taken him to some sort of house, not a fortress of some sort as he had originally suspected. The slate-gray floor was stone, but the walls that he could see were made entirely of wood, and looked to be quite old at that. He could see several areas where the planks had either rotted away or had broken off; the entire shack looked as though one well-timed kick might bring it down on top of them.

__

Not the most pleasant thought to have occur to you when you can't exactly move, Hare thought glumly. He started to twist around again, and managed after some effort to pull himself into a sitting position. At least now his cheek wasn't rubbing painfully against the rough floor with each small movement of his body, and that small gain encouraged him to try a little longer.

"I thought I told you to stop making all that racket," a sleepy voice slurred, and Hare froze. Twisting to look in the direction where the voice had come from, the little rabbit nearly cried out in shock as an Icy Jell, obviously the leader if one could judge from the fancy, battered helmet on his head, oozed over to where he was trapped. Narrowing sleepy eyes, the Jell leaned forward and stared right into Hare's face, and his stale breath nearly made the rabbit choke for a moment.

"Humph," Captain Icy Jell sniffed after a moment, "If you were uncomfortable, you might have said something." He snapped slimy fingers, and Hare cried out involuntarily as the blue gel surrounding his body suddenly twisted and moved, forcing him into a kneeling position in front of the Jell commander. The frigid gel yanked his chin up, and the rabbit found himself staring up at the Icy Jell's sneering face.

"Is that better?" the Icy Jell mocked, grinning. Hare looked up at him and, despite the situation, smirked back.

"Hai," he replied, and as a quizzical expression spread over the commander's face, Hare yanked his left arm backward. The realignment of the gel surrounding his body had left it a little looser than what had probably been intended, and the little rabbit felt a certain sense of satisfaction about the stunned look on the captain's face as he brought his fist back and slammed it directly into the Icy Jell's face. It didn't last long, as the slime monsters quickly realized their mistake and rewrapped themselves around him, but Hare couldn't keep from smiling even as his arms were pinned behind his back again.

"You…you…you…" Captain Icy Jell spat, glaring at the little rabbit. Bringing his arm back, he morphed the slimy blue limb into a whip and brought it back down toward Hare's face.

"No, commander!" one of the other Icy Jells protested, deflecting the attack with his own limb. "Master Naga specifically stated that the little rabbit was not to harmed!"

"Yeah, but that really hurt!" Captain Icy Jell replied, rubbing his sore cheek and giving his men a rather petulant look. The other slime monsters all sweatdropped.

"Yes, yes, it certainly looked painful," the Icy Jell soldier who had stopped the attack said soothingly, in a tone similar to one used to calm a child. "But you shouldn't let your anger cloud your better judgement. If you get revenge on the little rabbit now, then you might feel good about it for a time, but what happens when Master Naga finds out about it?"

"Yes…you're right, of course," Captain Icy Jell deferred at length, still rubbing his mouth as he threw one last glare in Hare's direction. Deliberately turning his back on the rabbit, he asked, "How is Phase Two of the plan going? Has Jelly Hare's deception been proceeding as planned?"

__

Jelly Hare? Hare wondered.

"Yes, commander," the Icy Jell grunt replied, eager to take his leader's mind off of what had happened. "Our spies have reported that he has successfully intercepted the rebels and integrated himself into their ranks. They seem to be completely convinced that he is the little rabbit, and have shown no signs of suspicion whatsoever."

"Good," Captain Icy Jell replied, casting a knowing sneer over his shoulder at Hare. "Jelly Hare has always been a great performer: they should have no reason to suspect him at all. He should be able to keep them off their guard and, when the time comes–" He paused for dramatic effect, and smirked at the shocked little rabbit behind him as he finished grandly, "Eliminate them."

The commander of the Icy Jells then oozed out of the room, laughing wildly, and Hare started struggling to break free again. The slime monsters kept a firm grip on him, however, and one of them retrieved a cloth soaked with the same sleeping potion and brought it back into the room. As the drug took effect again and Hare's eyes drifted closed, he felt familiar warmth slowly begin to blaze at his chest. He smiled groggily: the stupid Jells hadn't thought to take away the Phoenix's Tear from him. They probably figured that since they kept numbing his mind with the sleeping potion, that they would be safe from any sort of attack.

__

Well, just you wait, Jells, he thought, even as he faded into unconsciousness. _It won't be too long before you regret that sort of thinking. Just you wait…wait and see…_

* * *

"Let's stop here for tonight," Tiger announced, stopping and turning to look at the other rebels.

"Huh?" Suezo asked, glancing around the small hilltop. "But…we haven't gone all that far," he argued, his gaze drawn back to the silent village below them. "I thought…"

"Look, Suezo," Holly interrupted, "It's pretty late. This should be a safe enough place to set up camp."

"But Holly, I'm not too thrilled about staying so close to that weirdo town," Suezo protested, shivering despite the fact that it wasn't all that cold.

"It's not like there's anything down there that can hurt us," Tiger growled, glancing down at the empty town. His simple words made everyone pause for a moment; each lost in their own thoughts.

"Well, okay then," Suezo relented, breaking the silence. He hopped after Genki as the boy went to gather some firewood, and Holly bent to start clearing away a small site for their campfire. Hare bent beside her and started to help out, occasionally glancing up at her and smiling as they worked.

"Hey…Hare…" Holly said carefully after a few moments. The little rabbit glanced up at her, and she slowly asked, "Are you feeling alright? You seemed pretty upset back in the village…"

"Oh…no, I'm okay now," Hare replied, smiling reassuringly with a shake of his head. "I…just got taken a little off guard back there. I'm fine now…"

"Are you sure?" Holly pressed gently. The girl's soft brown eyes were filled with concern as she added, "That was just a terrible thing to find back there, and I can understand if you don't want to discuss it, but…I'm just a little worried about you. If you need to talk with me about anything…"  


"I'm okay, I'm okay," Hare persisted, getting to his feet. He reached down and helped Holly get up, then flashed her a smile as he added, "But thanks for caring…"

"Sure," Holly replied with a smile of her own. Genki came skating back into view at that point, arms overloaded with twigs of various shapes and sizes. As the two humans started working on building a fire, the little rabbit stepped away from the group and swept his cold gaze over them.

__

To think I was worried that she might have caught on, Jelly Hare thought with a sneer. _These fools have no idea who I am or what they're dealing with. This phase will be finished in no time…_

* * *

Nightfall came, and the seven rebels curled up to sleep. Genki and Mocchi were practically lying on top of one another; they were pressed so close to each other's backs. Holly rested her head against the side of the slumbering Golem's leg, and Suezo curled up beside her, not as close as he normally was, but closer than he had been allowing himself to get to her for the past few days. Tiger was curled up at the edge of the group, and the only way one could tell that he was sleeping was from the gentle rise and fall of his back.

Jelly Hare waited until he was absolutely certain that all of the rebels had fallen asleep before he opened his eyes. The soft brown shade they had adopted faded away, replaced by deep, flashing red as he got to his feet and surveyed the group.

"Now let's see…" he mused under his breath, "Who's first…"

Walking forward, he brushed past Holly, Golem and Suezo without even a glance in their direction. Instead his eyes were locked firmly on Genki and Mocchi, and a cruel smirk twisted his lips.

__

According to reports, these two are supposed to be highly dangerous, he thought. _I can't see why, but at any rate, it's a good place to start…_

Raising his paw, Jelly Hare concentrated hard and let the disguise he had adopted fall away partially. The soft brown fur on his arm disappeared, replaced by a smooth, slimy blue gel that twisted and writhed as he formed it into a new shape. Keeping a close eye on his two victims, Jelly Hare brought his morphed arm back, shaping it into a whip form. A demented sneer twisted his face as he brought it forward, letting it flash down toward the sleeping pair. 


	17. Sacrifices: One Last Trick

* * * Chapter Three: One Last Trick * * *

The slimy blue limb lanced down toward Genki's relaxed face, and the Jelly Hare sneered as he brought it down with all of his might. _Too easy,_ his mind repeated, and his leering smirk grew wider as his whip-like arm smashed down.

Suddenly Jelly Hare snapped to attention. His arm had suddenly halted in midair, seemingly of its own accord. Glancing down at his two victims, the rabbit hybrid gasped. Genki's clear eyes were wide open, and the boy's fingers were locked around the half-Jell's wrist. A knowing smirk was on the kid's face, and he tightened his grip around the squirming limb.

"Too easy," he teased, clear eyes twinkling. Jelly Hare just gaped at him and Mocchi, who was also wide awake and was staring at the rabbit hybrid with a curious look on his pink face. A low growl rumbled behind them, and Jelly Hare quickly glanced over his shoulder. His already pale blue face blanched even more as he saw energy dancing around an obviously wide awake Tiger of the Wind's horns. Behind the lupine monster, Holly, Suezo and Golem glared at the hybrid, their eyes accusing and strangely knowing.

"This trick's gone long enough," Tiger snarled, curled lips revealing shiny white teeth. "Where have you hidden Hare at?"

Jelly Hare gaped at the wolf, and replied the only way he could think of; by saying aloud what was repeating over and over again in his mind: "Oh crap…"

"Wrong answer," Tiger growled, and the electrical energy building around his horns became even brighter. The hybrid's eyes doubled in size, and the flailing squirms of his trapped arm became even more desperate. Genki's fingers remained tightly clamped around his blue limb, and Golem stomped up to help by pinning the rabbit hybrid down.

"How…how did you know?" Jelly Hare rasped, glaring up at the group. Tiger snorted in reply.

"Baka," the blue lupine snarled. "Your scent gave you away the moment you came running up. I'd recognize the furball's scent anywhere, and yours isn't the least bit similar to his. I tipped off the others, and warned them not to act like anything was wrong. I wanted you off guard…"

"In other words, Tiger actually used his brain for once instead of just killing," Suezo quipped. Tiger silenced the eyeball monster with his death glare.

"I'm sick of stalling," Genki interrupted, glaring at Jelly Hare. "Tell us where Hare is, _NOW_."

"And if I refuse?" Jelly Hare hissed. Genki didn't reply, but his clear eyes suddenly became alarmingly piercing as he glared at the rabbit hybrid. His fingernails dug into clear blue gel, and Jelly Hare gritted his teeth in agony. Risking a glance over at the others, the hybrid gulped as he noticed that Tiger had stepped closer, baring his fangs in a very pissed-off looking snarl. The electricity around his horns made them shine like twin torches, casting frightening shadows over his angry face, and golden eyes gleamed as if lit by an inner fire.

"…Back in the village," Jelly Hare relented, eyes never leaving Tiger's face.

"Where?"

"In an old shack at the edge of the town. You'll know it by the blackened old sign near the entrance. Captain Icy Jell chose it because he figured you'd pass the place over as being unimportant. It doesn't look anything like a baddie hideout, so he knew you'd pay it no mind."

"Let's go," Genki said, getting to his feet and yanking on his skates. Holly, Mocchi and Suezo were already turning and heading back toward the village, and Golem loosened his grip on the Jelly Hare as he began to get to his feet. Suddenly the stone giant cried out as something blazed into his hand, and he let go of the monster's lifeless form. As it fell to the ground and transformed into a lost disc, Golem turned horrified gray eyes to stare at Tiger. The energy that had been building around the blue wolf's horns steadily was gone.

"Tiger…why?" he asked, clearly stunned. Golden eyes glanced up at the stone giant's horrified face disinterestedly, and the lupine monster sniffed as he went after the others.

"We couldn't risk him warning his friends, and he needed to pay for trying to trick us in the first place," Tiger replied over his shoulder. He paused, and a grin twisted his lips for a moment as he added, "Damn, I'd been wanting to do that. It felt good."

He dashed after the others, leaving a visibly shaken Golem standing alone on the hilltop. The stone giant stared disbelivingly after the lupine, and it took a few moments before he could muster enough sense to follow after the others.

* * *

__

A sneering face of unspeakable ugliness hovered a few inches away from the little rabbit's face, its draconian features twisted into a demonic sneer.

* MOO! *

Hare all but shrieked the name, and he leveled his paws with the baddie's eyes and poured all of his strength into lashing out at him. As the crimson fireball surged toward Moo, the terrible dragon just leered down at him and reached out with one massive hand. The blaze slammed at full force into his hand and dissipated harmlessly, and as Hare opened his mouth in a silent scream, the monster's voice echoed in his mind:

****

I'll deal with you later. Right now, I want to get rid of some other pests first. 

* No…you CAN'T! *

Hare's protest fell on deaf ears, for the massive leader of evil monsters rose into the air on powerful wings and swept past the drained rabbit. The little rabbit had put all of his energy into attacking, and watched helplessly as the reborn Moo swooped down upon his friends. Screams filled the air, and Hare winced as he recognized each voice: first Tiger, then Genki. Golem. Mocchi. Suezo. And finally Holly's.

* STOP IT! *

Hare shrieked the command, and suddenly a new fire raged in his chest. Driven by a force he couldn't recognize, the rabbit leapt to his feet and pointed his paws toward Moo again. The fire erupted from his chest and through his hands, and Moo screamed as the energy tore through him…

* * *

"Hare?"

Hare opened his eyes and stared blankly up into Holly's face.

"Holly?" he asked, disbelieving. The girl smiled, even as she tore away the gel that encased most of the rabbit's body and held him down. The second his body was free, Hare attempted to get to his feet, glancing quickly around.

"Looks like I missed a lot," he commented, seeing the Icy Jells sprawled out over the floor. The other rebels were standing nearby, surrounding the two protectively. Tiger blasted one backwards and gave Hare an annoyed look.

"'Bout damn time that you decided to join us," he snarled. Hare just rolled his eyes.

"Good to see you too," he returned mildly. Tiger grumbled something that the rabbit couldn't quite make out and turned his attention back to the battle. Genki glanced over his shoulder and smiled reassuringly.

"Don't let him get to you," the boy told him. Hare smirked back and got to his feet, assuming a battle position as all of the rebel's eyes turned to Captain Icy Jell, who was looking considerably peeved.

"You've forced us to use our deadliest attack," the Ice Jell captain snarled, glaring at the rebels. Throwing back his arms, he yelled, "All attack formation!"

"Hey, that's my line!" Genki fumed. The other rebels glanced at the furious boy and sweatdropped. They were a little bit more interesting in what the Jells were doing than they were in what their commander had just said.

"What are they _doing?_" Hare asked, confused. Genki glanced over at the Jells, who were all diving at the captain…and going straight _into_ the captain's body. As the rebels watched, confused, the Jells merged into a single, trembling blob of clearish-blue slime. Genki stared at it, something nagging at the back of his mind.

"OH NO!" Genki screamed aloud as recognition suddenly hit. Whirling to face the others, he warned, "Take cover! They're gonna use the Cannon attack!"

"What?" the others asked. As one, they looked back at the blob of Jells, and sweatdropped as it morphed into a gigantic cannon. The blue gun swiveled and pointed itself directly at the rebels, and Genki screamed again as a huge blast of glowing yellow light surged toward them. It was too late to dodge. The boy flung up his hands in a futile attempt to ward off the attack, squeezed his eyes shut, and waited for impact.

Instead of feeling energy sear through his flesh, however, the boy felt a sudden rush of heat rise before him, then fade away as quickly as it had come. Opening one eye a crack, he gasped as he saw a familiar reddish glow shining inches away from his face. Glancing around, he quickly spotted Hare standing in front of the group. A red aura spread from his paws and formed a glistening shield around the rebels.

"Good timing," Genki cheered, and Hare glanced back at the boy, nodding slightly in reply.

"Don't think it's that easy," snarled Captain Icy Jell's voice from somewhere inside the massive blue cannon. The rebels whirled to face it, and another blast of yellow energy shot from its slimy barrel and crashed into the barrier. Suezo screamed, then gasped thankfully as the crimson light deflected the shot again. The voice of Captain Icy Jell cursed, and the cannon began to fire mercilessly at the searchers, who cowered behind the flame shield.

"We can't just sit here!" Tiger growled, every muscle in his lean body tensing. "We have to attack!"

"You go ahead and go first, Tiger," Suezo urged. "Call me crazy, but I have a thing about dying needlessly."

"It doesn't matter, anyway," Hare mumbled, wincing as he poured more of his energy into the barrier. When the others looked at him, he continued, "The Ice Jells won't be able to keep firing like this forever, though it looks like it doesn't matter to them what will happen if they try. Eventually…their bodies will start to fuse together from the heat of the cannon, and when that happens…boom. Bye-bye Ice Jells, and anything that happens to be close enough to be caught in the explosion."

"What?" Genki gasped, and the other rebels exchanged nervous glances.

"B-but we'll be okay, right?" Suezo stammered, pupil dilating slightly as he laughed nervously. "You can keep this shield thing up and protect all of us, right?"

"I can keep it up…" Hare replied, pausing as another ball of yellow energy slammed into the barrier and faded away harmlessly, "But…"

"But. But is never good," Suezo groaned.

"Even if I can keep it at this strength, it won't be able to stand up to the full effects of the blast. If we were further away…" Hare let his voice trail off hopelessly, and turned his watery eyes back toward the Jell Cannon, which even now was beginning to show signs of an imminent explosion. The blue slime glowed with yellow energy, and it crackled warningly as it pulsed around the unheeding Jells, even as they launched another attack.

The crimson shield flickered as the wave of energy slammed into it, and for a breathless moment seemed to vanish completely before regaining its steady glow. The rebels all tensed, then sighed in relief as it held. Holly glanced over at Hare, wondering just how long he could keep the shields in place.

__

Not long, she decided glumly. Sweat was rolling down the rabbit's face and back in rivulets, and she could clearly see the strain of keeping the barrier up in the pained expression on his face. Tears brimmed in his narrowed eyes, and Holly assumed that they were caused by the obvious pain and exhaustion he was suffering. She had no idea that there was another cause.

"I guess…I'd better get this over with," she heard him whisper. As she and the others stared at him, Hare closed his eyes and stepped out of the barrier, a fiery aura surrounding his fur the moment he was outside. He turned and looked back at them, a slight smile on his face.

Genki stared at Hare, trying to figure out what the rabbit was up to. _Why has he left the safety of the shield? Is he planning on attacking by himself?_

"Hare, what are you doing?" he heard himself ask. For some strange reason, his voice cracked as he spoke. Hare met Genki's gaze, his eyes wavering slightly. A sad smile flickered on the rabbit's face as he noticed the honest confusion in the boy's expression.

"You guys…thank you for letting me stay with you for so long," Hare told them, his eyes sweeping over their confused faces. _Almost as if he wants to remember this moment,_ Holly thought, a tight knot forming in the pit of her stomach.

"Hare?" she asked, her throat constricting.

"I know that you've suffered through a lot trying to protect me from Naga, and now it's my turn," Hare continued slowly. "I'm going to make certain that you don't have to worry about my problems anymore."

"Hare, what are you talking about?" Genki asked, wondering as he did why his voice was starting to tremble. The rabbit just looked straight into the boy's eyes and smiled. Something about the sad, almost pleading expression on his face made the boy's heart pound, and his clear eyes wavered as they searched for the reason why.

"Good-bye, you guys."

The whisper was so faint that Genki wasn't quite sure that he had heard correctly. Suddenly he felt something tug at his body, and nearly fell to his knees as the ground seemed to drop away from beneath his feet. Glancing down, the boy realized that the shield had spread completely around him and the others, and it encased them like a bubble. Only Hare was left outside of the glimmering crimson sphere, and as Genki stared at him, the rabbit seemed to move farther and farther away.

No…it wasn't Hare who was moving. The shield was, and Genki gasped as he finally caught on to what was happening. As he and the others shot away from the battlefield –from ground zero– Genki desperately looked back at Hare, keeping his eyes locked on the rabbit's figure as it became smaller and smaller. Reaching out one hand toward his friend in a helpless attempt to stop what was about to happen, he heard his own voice call out the rabbit's name.

Hare gazed after the sphere-shaped shield containing his friends as he cast it away from him. Even as it was lost to his sight, he could sense the eyes of the others upon him, staring at him in horror as they realized his intentions. His sharp ears could still just barely hear their voices screaming his name, pleading with him not to go through with it.

The Phoenix's Tear flared and gleamed at his neck, and Hare absently grasped at it with one paw. The feel of its familiar warmth under his palm was a comfort. He knew that it would protect him from the full effects of the coming blast. He'd be knocked out for a while, and would have one heck of a headache when he came to, to say the least, but he would survive.

The others didn't know that, though. And Hare planned to keep it that way.

"You all have enough problems of your own without having to deal with mine," he whispered, knowing that they couldn't hear him. "You should concentrate on finding the Phoenix…not trying to protect me. I'll deal with Naga in my own way."

A voice at the back of his mind attempted to convince him that this wasn't really the end. _After the Phoenix has risen and Moo and Naga are defeated,_ it said, _then maybe I can find the others again and start over._ But the chances of that ever becoming a reality, he knew, were too slim for him to realistically hope for.

Plus there was the matter of the disturbing vision that had begun haunting his dreams lately. The rabbit's eyes misted with tears at the memory: he hadn't been able to figure out its full meaning quite yet, but one thing had become clear to him.

__

In order to revive the Phoenix, a sacrifice will have to be made. I just hope that this qualifies, for all your sakes, Hare thought.

His senses told him that it was time. The energy building behind him would not be contained for much longer. Closing his wavering eyes in concentration, Hare willed a small ball of energy to form in his paws. Whirling around, he hurled it straight into the center of the glowing energy mass.

The explosion washed over him, enveloping his body. Only the flickering crimson aura that surrounded him kept Hare's body from being torn to shreds like the kerchief around his neck. Still, the pain that coursed through every nerve in his small frame was an oddly welcome release, even as his vision faded into blackness.

* * *

"_HARE!_" Genki shrieked as the blast shook the land. Clear eyes wavered as the light from the explosion reflected off of them. Holly gasped and covered her mouth, bright bronze eyes filling with tears even as she tore her horrified gaze from the sight. Suezo just gaped at the scene, his pupil becoming a single dot in his widened eye. Mocchi screamed something, the words lost in the sound of the explosion. Golem stared blankly, while Tiger closed his golden eyes and turned his head away.

Shockwaves crashed into the sphere-shaped shield, and the crimson shell flickered as it floated gently to the ground. It faded out of existence after depositing its passengers safely on the land, and Genki collapsed to his knees in front of a smooth rock that came up to his chest. Leaning against it, the boy began to pound his fist into the rocky soil, shoulders shaking convulsively with each strike.

"Why? Why did you have to go and do that, Hare?" he sobbed into the stone's surface, voice quavering nearly as much as his trembling body. "We're a team, remember? All for one…and one for…"

The rest of his words were lost as the boy buried his face in his arms and began to cry. Genki covered his face and let his angry tears fall on the rock's rough surface, apparently hoping that doing so would keep the others from figuring out that he was crying. If that was the case, it didn't work, for the remaining rebels gazed at the boy's back sadly.

"Genki…" Holly whispered, chestnut brown eyes wavering. Beside her, Mocchi buried his face in her tunic and whimpered, and she bent to wrap her arms around the little monster comfortingly. Golem hovered nearby, a glum expression on his stony face. He wanted to help his friends, but he wasn't quite certain what he could do, so he just stood, unsure, and tried to figure out what the best way to comfort everybody would be.

Through a mist of tears, Suezo abruptly noticed that Tiger had stepped away from the rest of the group, his back turned indifferently on the sobbing rebels. The blue lupine didn't appear to be the least bit affected by what had occurred. A new emotion began to boil deep inside the eyeball monster's body, and he trembled as he turned to glare at the warrior's back.

"Yeah, I bet you're not really upset by this at all, are you?" he whispered, his voice dripping with venom. Tiger made no move to answer; yet Suezo knew somehow that he was being heard, so he continued, "You always wanted Hare to just go away and leave you alone, and now you've got what you wanted."  
  
Tiger didn't respond. A cold breeze ruffled his blue fur, and it blew into Suezo's face, unnoticed as he glared at the indifferent wolf.

"Tiger of the Wind," he called, his voice shaking with poorly contained outrage, "Are you happy now?" When no reply came, the eyeball monster shrieked, "_ANSWER ME!_"

The lupine monster glanced back at the eyeball monster, and Suezo fell silent as the glistening golden slits bore into his body. After a moment, the blue wolf growled softly in his throat and stalked away, leaving the others behind. Suezo watched him leave, knowing somehow that he would return soon, after he had regained control of himself. Turning back to the others, the eyeball monster hopped over to Holly and leaned against her, letting his tears fall onto the soft scarlet fabric of her tunic. The maiden glanced back at him and draped one arm comfortingly over his back, gently stroking him as she cradled the weeping Mocchi in her lap.

Far away from where the remaining searchers were gathered, a chill breeze swept through a barren, scorched field where moments before a makeshift fortress adapted from an old building had stood. A cluster of lost discs marked the area where the Jells had stood when they unleashed their final attack. A few paces away from there, the ruins of a stone wall propped up another figure. A gentle rain began to fall, as if mirroring the emotions that raged in the hearts of a small band of travelers at that moment.

Hare lay motionless against the remains of the wall, a slightly mischievous smile on his relaxed face. A gentle breeze played with his bangs, sweeping them away from his closed eyes, and drops of rain fell like tears onto his soft fur, washing away traces of dust and blood. His bandana hung in loose tatters around his neck, and beneath the red fabric the Phoenix's Tear continued to glow steadily.


	18. Loneliness

I don't own Monster Rancher.

This begins the next morning after where Sacrifices left off. You have to have read that to understand what's going on in this, trust me. Hope you enjoy it.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

"Um…what should I do with this?"

Genki and Holly both turned to look at Suezo, and the eyeball monster blanched a little bit as he saw the two humans pale slightly at the sight of what he was holding. Eye downcast, he tried to avoid looking directly at the small pink bundle he had found, still dangling on the end of its pole. Mocchi took one look at it and nearly burst into tears, and the small pink monster quickly buried its face in Golem's leg. The stone giant gazed sadly down at his friends, soft gray eyes misting with barely contained tears. Tiger said nothing; he just turned away from the others and waited to hear their decision.

Holly slowly walked up to Suezo and gently freed the small bundle from its pole. Cradling it in her arms like a child, she turned pleading chestnut eyes to Genki. The youth looked away for a few moments, uncannily silent. Nobody could find the words to speak. Finally, the boy cleared his throat.

"Let's keep it safe," he told her, raising shimmering clear eyes to hold her own. "Once the Phoenix rises…we can give it back…okay?" He smiled, a little shakily, then turned away. Holly nodded quietly, and Suezo helped her carefully store the bundle in the green parcel he kept on his own back.

The six remaining searchers then continued their quest in silence, following Tiger of the Wind as he traced a path through the hills. They deliberately chose not to pass through the same valley where they had been earlier.

* * *

"Big Blue, are you certain that the rebels headed this direction?"

The ice giant glanced at the shapely monster that was perched on his shoulder with an almost hurt expression on his face. "Yes, Master Pixie," he replied. "You yourself said that they would probably head toward Naga's castle after defeating Grey Wolf, and this is one of the most direct paths. Plus, the information we received from those Suezo-types seemed to indicate that they were using this road."

"Humph." Pixie looked away and irritably pushed wet red bangs away from her flashing gray eyes. Glaring up at the overcast sky, she mumbled, "Stupid rain."

Big Blue didn't reply; he understood his master well enough to know that her anger was not caused by the frigid drops that pelted the two travelers. It was obvious enough to him why she was so upset: their search for the small band of rebels was not going well. The red-haired female monster was hoping to intercept the searchers and warn them about the terrible events they had witnessed, preferably before they ended up finding out the hard way.

Pixie stood up, and her leathery wings stretched out behind her. Shaking them a few times to dry them off as best she could, she leaped from Big Blue's shoulder and into the air. The ice giant silently sighed in relief as her wet wings beat against the wind, lifting her above the ground, and he shook his head in exasperation. Despite his warning her not to risk flying when the weather was like this, she still insisted on trying it time and again. Not that he could do anything to keep her from doing it, of course. After all, she was still his master; even if they had long since turned their backs on the army that had assigned him to work under her command. Pixie could still do as she damned well pleased, even if it meant that she risked having her wings suddenly fail on her during a flight through the rain and plummeting back down to the ground.

But Big Blue would always be there to catch her if she did fall. The ice giant kept a wary eye on her as she swept through the air, fighting the wind to get a better view of their surroundings. Pixie squinted down below her, a frown creasing her ruby lips as she noticed the remains of what once might have been a town a little ways down the path.

"Looks like you were right, Big Blue," she called as she swooped back to the safety of her perch on his shoulder. Pointing ahead, she continued, "There, ahead of us. Do you see it?"

"Hai," Big Blue replied, shielding his eyes from the rain with one massive hand as he looked through the pouring rain. "Naga was never one to leave a village alone for long."

Pixie nodded solemnly, her gray eyes darkening as the comment brought back painful memories. Shaking her head as if to clear out the terrible thoughts, she said, "Move in closer, Big Blue. We might be able to find shelter there."

Big Blue didn't bother to add anything else to that comment. He knew that his master wasn't hoping to find shelter for themselves as much as she was hoping to find the other rebels holed up somewhere in the ruins. That part went without saying, and the ice giant plodded down toward the remains of the village, Pixie sitting on his shoulder.

Unfortunately, the two quickly realized that they wouldn't be finding much at this abandoned ruin. The buildings lay in shambles, and the entire place looked like it had been blasted to pieces. The rain-soaked dirt was charred to blackness, like massive flames had swept over the ground and burned away even the slightest trace of anything living. Pixie shook her head in exasperation, her gray eyes colder than steel. Leather wings churned the air again as she swept from Big Blue's shoulder and into the sky, and the ice giant watched her slender form swoop and twist as she scanned the area for any signs of life.

Something flickered at the edge of his vision, and Big Blue turned to glance curiously toward where it seemed to be coming from. Had it been his imagination, or had he really seen something glowing like flames nearby? The ice giant scanned the area, squinting hard to see through the rain that kept pouring down like a wet curtain, hampering his view.

There! – That same light again! Big Blue's eyes narrowed as he glared in the direction where the light had come from. It was impossible, of course, for the searchers to have gotten a campfire going in this torrent, but something was causing that flickering shine, and he had to see what it was. The ice giant stomped forward, keeping his eyes trained on the ground, searching for anything out of the ordinary…Suddenly his eyes widened in shock.

"Master Pixie!" Pixie instantly recognized a note of shock in his voice, and every muscle in her lean body tensed as she swooped over to his side. Energy sparkled around her gesturing fingers, and she readied her attack, just in case. However, she noticed as she swept up beside the blue giant that he wasn't in a fighting stance. Instead, his arms hung loosely at his sides, and a strange expression tugged at his normally stoic features. Pixie followed his gaze over to the ruins of a stone wall, and her energy ball abruptly vanished from her hands, forgotten as what her loyal servant had noticed first arrested her attention.

"Oh Goddess," she heard herself breathe. It was almost a prayer.

Leaning against the scorched, fallen stone wall was a small, brown-furred figure. A ripped bandanna hung in tatters around the little rabbit-like monster's neck, half-covering a crystalline Tear that seemed to shine with an inner light.

The rain intensified, and cold drops soaked Pixie's flame red hair and rolled down into her face, completely unnoticed by her as she stared blankly down at the unconscious rabbit. After a few moments, she glanced briefly up at her companion, who exchanged a confused and fearful look with her.

* * *

"What the hell is he doing here by himself?"

Big Blue shook his head, watching his master as she paced the length of the cave they had finally located and taken refuge in. Outside, the storm rumbled as it gained force, and raindrops pelted the ground at the entrance with growing intensity. Pixie's eyes flashed like the crashing lightning outside, and she kept glancing over at the small figure huddled close to where the ice giant sat. Each time she glanced in the rabbit's direction, her mood seemed to worsen.

"That kid and his idiot team would never leave one of their friends behind," she muttered, biting her lip briefly. "So what the hell was he doing off by himself?"

Big Blue didn't answer her; he couldn't tell her anything, and she knew it. He understood that his master was actually arguing with herself, in a sense; he knew she had her own theory on why the rabbit was alone, and they both knew it. Both of them had seen the cluster of lost discs near where they had discovered the unconscious Hare…

__

But humans do not turn into lost discs when they die, the ice giant's mind repeated. That little face was enabling him to keep some hope; if the searchers had all been wiped out, then they would have found the bodies of the boy and the girl somewhere nearby. Of course, there was always the notion that the two humans might have escaped somehow, but that seemed unlikely. If something was able to wipe out monsters that easily, then a couple of pitiful humans would prove to be no challenge. Morbid, yes, and maybe a little biased in nature, but probably truthful all the same.

Pixie hissed slightly in annoyance, and she glared over at the unconscious Hare again. "He'd better be able to tell us something after he wakes up," she muttered, sitting down between the rabbit and Big Blue.

__

And let's hope the news isn't what I think it is, she added silently.

* * *

__

Fire.

An all-consuming fire, welling from some unknown source deep within, raging out to strike against the darkness that descended like an inky veil upon the world.

A power so strong that it could lie waste to anything and everything that stood in its wielder's way. Something that could both preserve life and burn it to nothingness, all at the whim of its controller.

Images, flashing through his mind with the speed of raging fire. Scenes of peace and chaos alike, blending together until indistinguishable from one another. A cheery blaze, giving warmth to the small group huddled around it. A town set ablaze, the buildings crumbling and collapsing as those trapped within writhed and burned. Soft candlelight, flickering over the relaxed face of a sleeping child. A torrent of flames rushing over the battlefield, leaving behind scores of charred lost discs in its wake.

It was both frightening and exhilarating at the same time. Perhaps the fact that it excited the watcher was also the scariest part of it all.

* * *

"…ake up, damnit!"

"…ster Pixie, he ma… …le to hear you…"

A soft groan, the brief flicker of eyelids stirring.

"…o, he can hear me. See, Big Bl… …king up."

"…ight, Master Pix…"

Feeling slowly coming back, as one begins to become aware of one's being seized by the shoulders and shaken violently. Again there was the brief glimpse of light as eyes slowly attempted to open, and Hare groaned again as his vision blurred. Two forms hovered above him; one a scarlet streak that was dwarfed by the larger, ice bluish mass that stirred behind it. Wavering brown eyes slowly began to regain focus, and details sharpened into the features of a pair of frowning faces.

"…Pixie? Big Blue?" Confusion followed that realization: what were the two former baddies doing here? Just where were the others?… Then Hare suddenly remembered, and his eyes shot open as he gasped in shock, sitting upright. He stared at the two, and Pixie frowned in confusion at the expression on his face.

__

What the…? Well, he certainly doesn't look all that thrilled to see us, she thought. Brushing stubborn red locks out of her face, she narrowed her gray eyes slightly as she demanded curtly, "What's going on? What happened?"

Hare seemed unable to answer: instead the rabbit shrank back slightly and stared at the female monster, obviously unnerved by her appearance. His wide brown eyes shone with a strange emotion Pixie thought looked a little like guilt. Guilt, and an almost overpowering fear. Despite herself, Pixie began to feel a genuine alarm rise from somewhere within her.

"What happened?" she repeated, her flashing gray eyes intense. Hare flinched back again, his gaze fixed on her and Big Blue. Realizing that she wasn't getting anywhere, she decided to ask in a different way. Forcing herself to put her worst fears into words, she asked, "Were the other searchers killed?"

That got a reaction. Hare snapped his head up and stared at the two, his brown eyes wide with a barely contained horror. He shook his head violently, and nearly shouted, "NO! They didn't die! I know, 'cause I sent them away before the blast hit. I was the one…" He paused abruptly, and suddenly seemed to find something very interesting about the dirt beneath him, as his wavering eyes tore away from the two ex-baddies' faces and locked onto the ground. Dark brown fur fell in bangs over his face, masking his expression as he mumbled something. Pixie unconsciously strained to hear the soft whisper.

"…I was the one who was supposed to die."

Pixie jerked as if she had been slapped. "What did you just say?" she demanded. When Hare refused to respond, she glanced over at Big Blue, her gray eyes questioning the ice giant if he had overheard the same thing she had. Big Blue stared down at her and nodded his head slightly, and the two looked back toward the little rabbit. He avoiding looking directly at them, studying the ground instead as he hugged his knees to his chest. The Phoenix's Tear shimmered slightly under his torn bandanna, and he absently grasped it with one paw.

"What the hell is going on here?" Pixie muttered, gray eyes narrowing thoughtfully as she studied the little rabbit, trying to figure out what was happening. Deciding to try a different tactic to gather information, she stretched out almost nonchalantly as she said, "Well, even if your friends did get away, they're not exactly safe right now." Hare raised his gaze to her again, and she continued, "I've been spying on Moo while Big Blue was researching the Phoenix, and I've got some bad news."

"Moo's about to unite with his ancient body," Hare interrupted. Pixie nearly toppled over when she heard that, and her gray eyes had nearly doubled in size as she swung to stare at the rabbit.

"How the hell did you know that?" she demanded. Hare looked back down at the ground, and for a moment made no reply. Pixie had to keep herself from stomping over and strangling the little rabbit, until she suddenly realized that he was talking to her, although his voice was very soft.

"…It's 'cause of the Phoenix's Tear. Lately…" Hare paused, grasping for the right words to describe what had been happening to him. "Lately…I've started to see Moo's ancient body in my dreams. It's one of the powers of the Phoenix's Tear…it gives me dreams…visions of what might happen in the future. It makes me see…not the future exactly…but more like probabilities…what is likely to happen in the near future. Like the incident with Grey Wolf…"

He trailed off, and Pixie found herself leaning forward slightly. "What incident?" she heard her own voice ask, tinged with curiosity. She had heard the news that Grey Wolf had been defeated, of course, but never exactly how it had happened. Hare sighed, but didn't look away from her face.

"Well…" he started, hesitantly, "Basically, after Tiger ran off to face Grey Wolf alone, I had a dream about them fighting." He paused, shuddering violently before he was able to get out, "In that vision, Tiger…he died. Grey Wolf killed him. Then later…when we got to Grey Wolf's fortress, I suddenly remembered it from my dream. I knew the path to the main room, 'cause I'd had to get there by walking through the castle in the dream. Because I knew the way…we were able to save Tiger's life. But that wasn't the worst of it…"

Suddenly Hare found himself blurting out the entire story of what had happened at Grey Wolf's fortress, of the Cabalos capturing three of his friends and holding them hostage…the gritty realism of his vision of Tiger's death…and who 'Grey Wolf' had turned out to be, and what he had revealed. Pixie and Big Blue seemed most shocked by this news, and Pixie's eyes hardened to steel as the rabbit spoke of Naga's plotting.

"So…that's what he meant," she hissed. Hare and Big Blue looked at her, startled, and the female monster said, "About five days or so before you and your rebel friends showed up in my territory, Naga visited my fortress for a short time. He was escorted by some hybrid pixie he called Night Flyer; she was so subservient that she made me sick just watching her. I won't give you all the details, but he essentially made it very clear to me that he was planning something big, and didn't want me interfering. I didn't give him a straight reply, since he didn't give me a full idea of what he was planning, and he didn't seem too happy about that. Right as he was leaving, he made a comment to me…'If you won't support me, then I'll find someone who will. Someone who will make a much better member of the Big Bad Four than you ever have.'"

Hare's face had slowly paled at her words, and Big Blue stared down at his master with a rare horror shining in his usually solemn eyes. The ice giant's mouth worked silently for a moment, and Pixie couldn't help but gape at her companion, a little taken aback by his reaction. _Did it bother him that much…?_

"Master Pixie…" Big Blue finally managed to get out. He seemed to be on the verge of blurting something out, but suddenly averted his gaze from her face and glanced outside, where the storm still raged.

"Anyway…have you told the other searchers about these…visions?" Pixie asked. Hare looked back down at the floor and shook his head slightly, and Pixie angrily demanded, "Why the hell not?"

Hare looked back up at her, brown eyes wavering with barely contained tears. "Because…because in all the visions…" he stammered. Shaking his head violently, he forced himself to spit out, "Every time I have a vision about Moo reuniting with his body, he kills all of them. Every single time, they've died. He murders all of them! How can I possibly…" He choked, and quickly looked back down at the ground again, letting his ears droop over his face in an attempt to hide the tears that brimmed in his eyes.

"If these visions are truly of what is about to happen in the near future," he whispered, his trembling voice so faint that the two ex-baddies could barely hear it, "then what was I supposed to tell them? 'Moo's about to regain his ancient body, and when he does, you're all going to die.' Is that what I'm supposed to say?"

"…But you said that you also dreamt of Tiger of the Wind's death, and you were able to change that. Can't you just do the same with this vision?"

"Big Blue?" Pixie asked, glancing up at the ice giant in astonishment, startled that he had suddenly chosen to join the conversation.

Hare sighed, and shook his head. "In all my visions, I'm unable to save them," the little rabbit replied bleakly. "I try, of course…but even with the Phoenix's Tear…I'm just no match for Moo…"

"………" Pixie and Big Blue exchanged glances, and an awkward silence fell over the cave. Outside, the thunder rolled and black clouds churned as the howling wind ripped through the darkened sky. Drops of frigid rain pelted the muddy ground.

"…Lately, I've wondered if I have any real place in this world at all," Hare admitted quietly. He lifted the Phoenix's Tear in his paw, letting the firelight reflect off of its faintly glowing surface. "This crystal…ever since I found out that I could control its powers, it's completely changed my life, and not for the better. Sure, I can do things that most monsters can't with it, but what's the price of that? So many have died because of this Tear…both the innocents who Naga's killed trying to gain control of me and the baddies I've had to kill to protect myself. Before, I never wanted to kill anything…I still don't, not really, but now that doesn't really matter, does it?"

He paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed, but it was a bitter, self-effacing laugh. "It's funny, isn't it? According to the old legend, the Phoenix shed this Tear over her sorrow at the destruction Moo had caused. I wonder if she knew then that something that was supposed to symbolize grief over senseless carnage would end up being the cause of so much death?" He wiped a few tears away from his cheeks, then carefully replaced the cord around his neck.

"…So what are you going to do now?" Pixie asked.

"What are YOU going to do?" Hare retorted, eyes locked on her face.

"Well, somebody still needs to tell the searchers what's happening with Moo," Pixie said at length, keeping a close eye on the rabbit's expression. "Once the rain lets up, Big Blue and I are going to continue looking for them. As for you…"

"………I don't know." Hare stared down at the floor. "Originally…I wasn't planning on joining back up with the others. They've suffered through so much trying to help me deal with Naga…and the closer we get to Naga's fortress, the more danger my being with them will put them in. I was going to just let them think that I was…a lost disc…and head off on my own again. That way, I figured that Naga might be distracted enough by my being elsewhere to leave them alone…but I didn't count on you guys coming along…"

"We won't tell."

"Huh?" Hare stared up at Pixie, startled. The female monster shook her head, scarlet bangs floating around her solemn face, and she locked her gray eyes with the rabbit's own as she said, "If you don't want to go back to the others, then we won't blow your cover. It's your decision to make, not ours. We can't make you go back if you don't want to, and we can't keep your problems from following you."

"………" Hare looked back down at the ground, hugging his knees to his chest. Pixie got up and kneeled so she was directly in his face, looking him straight in the eyes.

"But I will say this," she continued, her gray eyes solemn. "You have a lot of problems in your life right now, and you may not want to see anyone else suffer because of them. Believe me, I know the feeling all too well. But from what I've seen of your friends, they seem to be the type of people that you might want supporting you in a crisis. You might feel guilty about putting them in danger, and they might also feel the same way about putting you in danger with their own problems. Still, that hasn't kept you seven from supporting each other when danger called, no matter what the cost. As strange as it sounds, that's actually a good thing, not terrible or something to be ashamed of. You care about one another enough that, when one of you is in trouble, the rest are willing to sacrifice everything to help that one out. Even your very lives…"

"But they shouldn't have to risk dying to help me."

"That might be true, but haven't you ever put yourself at risk trying to help any of them? Why do you have a double standard here: it's all right for you to put your life on the line, even though your friends want you to be safe, but you don't want to see them do the same for you?"

"…It isn't right…"

"That might be true, but has it ever stopped any of you searchers before? Do you honestly think that you can change the way they are just because it makes you uncomfortable? Kid, it doesn't work that way, even if you want it to."

Hare stared up at Pixie; was it his imagination, or did her gaze continue to flick over to where Big Blue was sitting again and again while she spoke? After a moment, the female monster released his shoulders and stood up.

"Once the rain lets up, Big Blue and I are leaving," she informed him, walking back to the ice giant's side. "Whether or not you come along is up to you."

Hare gazed after her for a moment, then swung his gaze back to the dying fire. As he let it burn itself out, the dimming firelight reflected off of his shimmering brown eyes, and cast shadows over his thoughtful face.

* * *

"I guess he didn't plan on coming with us," Pixie sighed after waking up the next morning. The two ex-baddies had awakened to find that the little rabbit was no longer anywhere in the cave, and a short search by Big Blue had turned up nothing. "Well, I guess it can't be helped."

"Shall we go, Master Pixie?" Big Blue asked. In response, the female monster alighted upon the ice giant's shoulder, and the pair made their way down the path in silence.

* * *

"Not another forest!" Suezo exclaimed, staring at the trees with an obvious disgust on his face. "Will somebody please explain to me why the Magic Stone likes to have us walk through all this stupid forests?"

"Maybe it wants us to take the scenic route?" Genki asked, sweatdropping slightly.

"Calm down, Suezo," Holly said, checking the Magic Stone. "It points this way, not into the forest. We just have to walk alongside it, not in it."

"My Goddess, it's a miracle," Suezo replied, voice dripping with sarcasm. The six searchers began to move along the trail, the eyeball monster griping under his breath as they walked. Just when Tiger was on the verge of turning around and giving him something to gripe about, however, something came stumbling out of the woods and into their path.

"Ahh, the rebels!" the dinosaur-like monster sneered. The rebels tensed, experience allowing them to immediately spot the medallion on the Zuum hybrid's collar. "I, Captain Shell Saurian, will defeat you in the names of Master Naga and Master Moo! You should flee while you…gakk!"

While the Shell Saurian had been making his speech, Tiger had charged up his Torpedo attack and let it fly. The Zuum hybrid dropped to the ground, morphing into a lost disc. A fierce grin broke over Tiger's muzzle.

"The captain's been defeated! Vengeance for the captain!" a voice bellowed from the forest. Suddenly what seemed like a thousand Shell Saurians, but was actually closer to twenty or so, burst out of hiding and bum rushed the rebels. The dinosaurs were unable to take more than five steps toward the startled rebels before a blast of fire erupted in front of them. The saurians skidded to a halt and sweatdropped, their eyes the size of saucers, and the same voice stammered, "O-on second thought, he was a jerk anyway. Retreat!"

"But…huh?" Genki asked, sweatdropping with the other searchers as they watched the hybrids high tail it down the path. Something swept down and landed beside him, and the boy turned, his eyes lighting up as he instantly recognized the new arrival. "Pixie! Big Blue!" he added, seeing the ice giant come stomping up. "Thanks for the save!"

"But…I didn't…" Pixie said, staring blankly at the flames as they died away. Genki stared at her in confusion, then whirled around when he heard Holly gasp suddenly. The boy felt his eyes widen in shock, and he inhaled sharply as he joined the other rebels in staring at what the girl had seen first.

A small figure stood uncertainly at the edge of the woods, half-hidden behind the thick trunk of one of the towering trees. A shaky, insecure smile played over Hare's face, and he waved at the stunned searchers. At his neck, the Phoenix's Tear glimmered and shone under his kerchief.

"H…Hare?" Holly choked, stepping slightly closer, her bronze eyes wavering with tears. The little rabbit nodded, and suddenly found himself being pulled into the girl's embrace. The others gathered around the two, all talking at once, stammering questions and crying tearful greetings.

"What happened?" Tiger demanded, the only one of the searchers who wasn't showing a lot of emotion over this. Before Hare could reply, Pixie answered for him.

"Big Blue and I found him unconscious," she explained. "We brought him back around, and he came with us to look for you." Hare smiled gratefully at the female monster, and a secretive smile played over Pixie's lips as she looked over at Big Blue. The ice giant simply nodded in approval.

"Here, Hare," Genki said, pulling the small bundle out of Suezo's pack. "We were gonna keep this safe until the Phoenix rose so we could give it back to ya, but you probably want it now, huh?" Hare silently took the bundle and nodded thanks, and the boy stared at the rabbit's tattered kerchief. "Wow," the boy said, "looks like we'll have to get you a replacement for that one, huh? I think it's just about had it!"

Genki grinned, and Hare smiled back at him. However, the rabbit's smile soon faded, and he said, "Guys, as glad as I am to see all of you again, I'm afraid we've got some more trouble. Pixie says that she's been spying on Moo, and something bad is about to happen…"

"Oh," Genki frowned for a moment, then grinned again. Slapping Hare on the back playfully, the boy said, "Well, no matter what Moo's up to, we'll be able to handle it, don't worry! We're gonna beat that guy together!"

Hare just nodded, smiling slightly.

"Yes," he echoed, "We can defeat Moo. Together."


	19. Snake Eyes: Naga's Secret Weapon

__

Snake Eyes

* * * Chapter One: Naga's Secret Weapon * * *

"The Magic Stone points in this direction, right, Holly?"

Holly looked up at Genki and nodded, replacing her pendant back under her tunic. "Yes," she confirmed.

"Hmm," Pixie mused, "it looks like the Magic Stone is leading you straight to Naga's fortress." As the seven rebels stared up at the ex-baddie, she nodded sharply, saying, "Yes, it's definitely taking you there. I remember this area: it's close to his castle. If we keep up this pace, we'll be there in three days, at the most."

"Three days…" Holly glanced in the direction that the Magic Stone had pointed, almost as if she expected to see a forbidding silhouette rising in the distance. She heard a soft sigh behind her, and turned to see Hare staring off in the same direction, worry and fear shining clearly in his soft brown eyes. He leaned a little closer to Golem, who also appeared to notice the rabbit's mood, for the gentle stone giant brought one hand slightly closer to Hare in a protective gesture.

"Hey, Pixie," Suezo attempted to whisper, leaning closer to the ex-member of the Big Bad Four, "so just how strong is this Naga, anyway? You should know…"

Pixie favored him with an icy glare. "Why don't you go ask your little friend?" she hissed back. "He knows better than anyone else…"

"But…" Suezo glanced worriedly over at Hare, and Pixie relented when she saw the expression of genuine concern on the eyeball monster's face.

"Okay, look," she muttered, "I can't tell you a whole lot because I tended to keep to myself when I was one of Moo's generals. We all did, for the most part. I suppose it was pride that made us like that, pride or arrogance, take your pick. The only time we paid any real attention to the others was when they showed the slightest signs of having trouble, something we could possibly exploit to our own benefit."

"You weren't like that," Big Blue objected. Pixie laughed shortly in reply.

"Yeah, well, I didn't really care about power as much I did revenge on the humans. Gali and Naga were the ones who cared about power, although Grey Wolf did start to get involved in that mess a little later. Actually, Kaze must have taken Grey Wolf's place at around that time, right?" she mused, glancing briefly at Tiger's back as she spoke. The blue wolf grunted in reply, deliberately ignoring her.

"What I do know about Naga is that he loves to fight," she continued. "For some reason, he seems to have a thing about death and destruction. Whenever Moo wanted to send someone to lead the conquering of another village or territory, Naga was always ready to volunteer. The bloodier a mission would be, the better."

"He…I know he destroyed our home village," Suezo murmured, eye fogging over slightly with remembrance. Pixie nodded: she had not been aware of this fact, but she knew Naga well enough to accept it as being true.

"At any rate, Naga has seen his fair share of battles," she continued. "A lot of would-be heroes used to go to his castle claiming that they would defeat him…hordes of them. Not a single one returned, and none of them were ever sent to Moo for 'reforming', either."

"…He-he's that strong?" Suezo stammered, staring at the female monster in shock. Pixie simply nodded, her flaming red hair bouncing slightly with the movement.

"He's damned strong!" she confirmed.

"I think…I'm going to be sick…" Suezo groaned, a spiral replacing his pupil as he whirled around to the others.

"Bring it on," Tiger snarled, baring his teeth in a grimace. "I still need to pay him back for what he did to my brother…"

The others nodded agreement and Holly glanced back at Hare again. The little rabbit's ears drooped over his face, effectively masking his expression, and he was holding the Phoenix's Tear again. Concerned, Holly stepped over to him and draped an arm around his shoulders. Before she could ask the obvious question, however, Hare looked up at her and gave her a wistful smile.

"Don't worry, I'm okay," he said. It was a lie, and they both knew it, but neither one bothered to point that out. There was no sense in that; better to focus one's attention on what could be changed. They followed after the others, and Holly allowed her arm to slip off of Hare's shoulders, only to take his paw and give it a slight squeeze. She was not overly surprised when he tightened his grip on her hand in reply.

* * *

"So…they are coming here, then…"

"Yes, Lord Naga." Night Flyer bowed down before her master, lowering her head until the tips of her antennae brushed against the jet-black marble of the floor. Her brightly colored wings were folded primly against her slender back, and she did not rise until the reptilian monster signaled for her to do so. Even then, she kept her soft green eyes staring at the floor, both out of respect for her commander and for fear that he would see her feelings for him shining clearly in their verdant surfaces.

"I should have known that it would come to this, sooner or later," Naga mused. "I didn't really think that the rebels would be foolish enough to come for me…the idiots are practically handing the little rabbit and the Phoenix's Tear to me! Perhaps they are not as clever as they would have us believe." Naga rubbed his chin, yellow eyes narrowing into glittering slits as he mused over his next move.

"Well, Night Flyer, what do you think?" he finally said, a leering grin slowly spreading over his face. "Do you think we should honor the rebels for getting this far by allowing them to meet my greatest warrior?"

Night Flyer snapped her head up, eyes widening involuntarily. "A-are you certain, Lord Naga?" she gasped before she could stop herself. Realizing at once that she was talking back to her master, the pixie hybrid quickly lowered her gaze to the floor again and murmured, "Forgive me, my lordship…I-I trust your judgement…"

"I know you do," Naga replied, favoring the pixie with a toothy grin. "And I understand your concern. Do not get overly upset; I doubt that there will be much reason for my warrior to stay for long. I merely think that he will make this…more _interesting_."

"Of course, my liege," Night Flyer replied, kneeling again. Her bangs fell over her face, masking her angry grimace, as she thought about her master's greatest warrior, whom she personally believed did not deserve so high a title. But…he certainly DID possess great strength, and often his foes made the mistake of underestimating him…

Naga stood, spreading his arms wide in a grandiose gesture as he spoke the incantation that would summon his soldier to him. Dark purple energy coiled and formed in the massive chamber, and a black wind whipped Night Flyer's short hair around wildly. Brushing it back, she stepped backwards and silently watched as an object materialized before her master's hands. A sneer spread across Naga's face, and Night Flyer continued to watch him intently as the wind howled around them.

* * *

"What I would give for a few big trees right about now."

Pixie glared at the eyeball monster in exasperation. "But when we were in the forest, all you did was complain about how much you needed a change of scenery! What, is this not big enough a change for you?"

"It's hot, chi!" Mocchi sighed, slumping down in the sand. Pixie glared at the little pink monster, then growled as she shaded her face with one arm and peered into the distance.

"Just keep your mind off the heat. We're almost out of this place. There should be a town up ahead."

"If Naga hasn't already destroyed it," Suezo mumbled, a little louder than he intended. He sweatdropped as the others turned to stare at him, and quickly found something very interesting to look at beneath him. At least, he certainly remained staring down at the sand for a long time. Hare sighed and turned away first, lowering his gaze to the ground as well. Genki glanced worriedly at the little rabbit, then glared back at Suezo one last time before moving to the head of the group.

"Come on people, let's get moving!" he yelled, waving his arms wildly to get everyone's attention. Hopping to the top of a large rock that jutted out of the sand, he called, "Don't worry, everyone, let's just get moving! The sooner we start walking, the sooner we get to the village! Let's go! Let's go! Let's g– "

"Genki, incoming!" Hare interrupted, pointing into the sky. The boy turned around just in time to see a small round object flying toward him. With a cry of shock, Genki hastily leaped down from his perch, skidding to a rough stop in the sand. He turned around and joined the others at staring at the strange object that had arrived.

"What…in…the…heck?" Suezo asked, putting into words the question on everyone's minds. As it came nearer, they could begin to make out its features, and Genki realized with a start that this wasn't a missile, as he had feared: it was some sort of pot.

"O…kkkaaaaayyyyyy," Suezo said at length, staring at the small container as it floated a few feet away from the travelers. A soft gasp behind him arrested his attention, and the eyeball monster turned to see Hare staring directly at the object. The rabbit's face had gone completely white, and his breath was beginning to come in short gasps. Suezo paled slightly without knowing why.

"H-H-Hare?"

"Hare okay, chi?" Mocchi asked, noticing the expression on the rabbit's face. Hare made no reply; his gaze remained locked on the object as it floated closer to the nine searchers. Everyone cried out in shock as an explosion of red smoke suddenly covered the pot from view, and as it cleared, a figure came into view, floating directly in front of the pot. The small figure grinned, narrow eyes tracing over the group.

"A Bajarl!" Genki exclaimed in wide-eyed astonishment. The genie-like monster appeared to be equally surprised, oddly enough, and his eyes darted from face to face as he scanned the group. The searchers watched him warily, noticing the crest mounted on his chest, and tensed for an attack.

But no attack came. Instead, the baddie continued to stare at them, a curious expression on his face. He appeared to be almost confused, and Genki lowered his guard a little, eyeing the Bajarl curiously. After a moment, the baddie raised his hand and pointed a single finger at the boy. Every muscle in the youth's body tensed as he prepared to dodge whatever attack the genie monster was planning to use on him.

"One," he heard the baddie state, then his finger traced over to Mocchi. "Two…three, four, five…" The rebels stared at Bajarl in increasing disbelief as he pointed at each of them in turn, numbering them off.

"…What the heck?" Suezo mumbled.

"…Eight, nine." Bajarl's face screwed up into a look of complete confusion. "…Nine?" he repeated, as if that number surprised him. "Nine? That can't be right…Lord Naga told me that there were only seven rebels…"

"Naga? He's the one who sent you?" Holly gasped.

"Well, duh, you baka human," Pixie snapped irritably, "who did you think sent him? Naga _is_ the only member of the Big Bad Four left…"

"HOLLY IS NOT A BAKA, YOU UNDERDRESSED EXCUSE FOR A FORMER MEMBER OF THE…Big…Bad…Four…" Suezo's voice trailed off as he abruptly realized just _who_ he was yelling at. A huge sweatdrop appeared on the back of his head as he noticed that her pencil-line eyebrows were raised and one was twitching slightly.

"Master Pixie is NOT underdressed," Big Blue rumbled, a faint red color springing to his cheeks; whether this was from embarrassment or anger could not be judged. Bajarl was watching the quarrel with a mixture of shock and amusement on his face.

"Ah, I see," he finally spoke up, pointing at Pixie and Big Blue briefly, "so you two are the traitors Lord Naga told me about. Ex-Master Pixie and her servant, Giant Sapphire or something like that, right?"

"That's BIG BLUE!" Pixie screamed as the ice giant sweatdropped. "And I'm Master Pixie to a worthless underling like you, punk!" Her gray eyes flashed, as if daring the baddie to dispute this and energy crackled around her hands. Bajarl arched one eyebrow slightly as he looked at her, not appearing to be particularly unnerved.

"Be careful! He's one of Naga's strongest warriors!" Hare warned. The other eight travelers looked at him, then back at the small baddie. The little rabbit sweatdropped as they burst out laughing.

"Oh Goddess," Pixie moaned, stifling a giggle, "I knew that Naga was an idiot…but to call a little pipsqueak like _THAT_ one of his strongest fighters?"

"What? Don't I look the part?" Bajarl asked, obviously a little upset by the idea that he looked like than intimidating.

"Heheh…let me handle this," Suezo snickered, hopping forward. "I'll knock this pipsqueak for a loop!"

"Well, this should be interesting," Tiger commented dryly as he backed up slightly with the other rebels.

"Very interesting," Bajarl agreed, arching one eyebrow slightly as he eyed the approaching Suezo. The eyeball monster grinned confidently, not worried in the slightest. In fact, the only one of the rebels that appeared to be worried was Hare.

"Tail Atta-aaa-aaa-aaa-ack!" Suezo called, leaping into the air and rolling toward the baddie. The grin hadn't faded from his face.

Bajarl glanced up at the attacking eyeball, an amused smirk on his face. The pot that had been floating innocuously beside him suddenly moved, and the lid flipped off. A torrent of wind gushed out, and as the others watched in shock, the magical hurricane rushed toward Suezo.

"_Look out!_" Hare screamed, the sound of his voice drowned out by the roar of the winds. The haughty smirk on Suezo's face quickly twisted around, and Genki caught a glimpse of his terrified expression before his form was completely enveloped by the tornado. The hurricane swiftly vanished, retreating back into its pot, and Bajarl smirked as he replaced the lid.

"Wha-what happened?" Holly gasped. Bajarl grinned down her and the other rebels, holding his pot in both hands.

"What does it look like?" he mocked, grinning hugely. "I just caught myself a Suezo! Lord Naga will be so proud of me!"

"Lightning!" Tiger and Pixie called in unison, and streaks of blue and pink electricity lanced from glowing horns and gesturing hands toward Bajarl. The baddie just grinned, his narrow eyes glinting with thinly veiled amusement. His jar moved in front of him, the lid opened once more, and the two bolts of energy were sucked inside. An agonized scream echoed out of the pot's shadowy depths before the lid closed again, cutting the sound off.

"Suezo!" Holly cried, eyes widening with horror. Tiger and Pixie froze, shocked by the knowledge of what they had inadvertently done. Bajarl chuckled, smiling knowingly at the eight rebels as they stared at him.

"Ouch, that sounded like it hurt," he said, still wearing that mocking grin. Turning to the small group, he added, "But I bet he's getting really lonely in there. Anyone care to join him?"

He floated forward, and the rebels involuntarily backed up, glaring at him. Pixie's hands sparkled with energy that she didn't dare fire, and the female monster cursed. The sentiment was echoed by Tiger, who bared his teeth in a snarl as the baddie continued to advance.

"_RUN FOR IT!_"

At the sound of Tiger's shout, the eight rebels scattered, sprinting in different directions. Bajarl watched as they bolted over the rolling sand, heading in the general direction that they had been earlier. An amused smirk creased his lips.

"So, they want to play Hide and Seek, do they?" he said to no one in particular. Red smoke billowed up from the pot again, and when it receded, the genie-like monster had grown to a size equal to Golem or Big Blue's own. Fastening the container to his belt, Bajarl then floated serenely toward the village. He saw no need to hurry. He would find them soon enough.

* * *

"Damnit! I hate having to run from a worthless moron like this jerk!" Tiger cursed.

"As worthless as you think he is, he does have a considerable advantage," Pixie pointed out, swooping down to fly next to the running lupine. "Even I've never seen a monster who could block my attack like _that _before…Plus, as long as he has Suezo as a hostage, he has a trump card he can use to keep us in check…"

"Yeah, you _would_ know a lot about the advantages of hostages, huh?" Tiger couldn't keep himself from growling bitterly. Pixie's gray eyes flashed as she glared at the blue wolf, and she gritted her teeth together to keep herself from hissing out the retort that burned on the tip of her tongue. Getting into a fight would not help matters any…

"Master Pixie!"

Pixie and Tiger glanced backwards in unison, and both cursed as they caught sight of Bajarl directly behind them and rapidly catching up. Big Blue pounded up beside his commander, and his steely gaze locked onto Pixie's face worriedly.

"He's right behind us, isn't he?" Tiger asked. When the ice giant nodded, the blue wolf growled, "Fine then." He skidded to a stop and whirled around, baring his teeth as he snarled, "Let's settle this right now!"

"You are an idiot," Pixie muttered, stopping short and sweeping up to Tiger's side. "We can't fight Bajarl like this…we have to find a way to disarm him first."

"And just how do we do that?" Tiger asked, glaring back at the red-haired monster. Pixie opened her mouth to snap out a reply, but was interrupted by a howl of wind. The two whipped around in time to see a tornado raging toward them.

"Master Pixie!"

Pixie had the barest glimpse of the ice giant's face, then his shoulder collided roughly with her side and she was flung into Tiger. The two sent up a cloud of dust as they skidded backwards, and the howling of the wind echoed in their ears, then slowly faded away.

"Big Blue?" Pixie exclaimed, sitting upright and whipping around. "Big Blue!"

Bajarl slammed the lid on his pot down loudly, letting the sound echo for a few moments. Pixie glared up at him, gray eyes shimmering, and the genie monster recoiled slightly, although the same cocky smirk remained on his face.

"You spineless coward," Tiger hissed, energy crackling around his horns.

"Tiger. Leave him to me." Pixie stood up, and her eyes flashed bloodfire as she raised her blazing gaze to Bajarl's smirking face. "You keep running."

"What, you're going to face him by yourself?" Tiger asked, narrowing his eyes at her. The female monster glanced back at him, and the blue wolf backed up a few steps as he caught a glimpse of the steely shine of her gray eyes. Bowing his head slightly to show submission, he then whirled on his feet and took off in the direction they had been running before. Behind him, he could hear the wind begin to howl once more, yet he resisted the urge to turn around and lunge back into the battle. He forced himself to keep running on, squeezing his flashing golden eyes shut with suppressed rage and frustration.

* * *

"Do you see anything, Golem?" Holly asked, peering up at the stone giant from the safety of his hands. The stone giant shook his head reluctantly, not slowing his pace as he pounded forward through the sand. The girl craned her neck in an attempt to see over the top of his protectively curled fingers, without much success. However, she was able to spot the top of what appeared to be at first a group of rocks jutting out of the sand.

"There!" she called, pointing. "Head over there, Golem!"

The stone giant nodded, and gritting his teeth as he pushed himself forward, his heavy feet sinking into the sand with each step. As they neared the formation, Holly realized with a start that what she had thought were jagged rocks from a distance turned out to be the ruins of a building upon closer inspection. Golem huddled behind the dubious shelter that the fallen stones offered, and let the girl climb out of his hands. Running one hand alongside a ruined wall, Holly glanced up at her large companion sadly.

"Looks like Suezo's theory was correct," she murmured, continuing to brush the collapsed stones with her fingers, tracing patterns in the dust that clung to the fallen walls. Golem nodded silently in confirmation, his dark gray eyes solemn. The mention of the eyeball monster's name sent a cold shiver down both of their backs, despite the heat of the sun that still pounded down upon them. Holly's eyes wavered, and she sighed as she glanced out into the desert.

"I hope that the others get here soon," she commented, bronze eyes shimmering with contained tears. "I hope we'll find a way to rescue Suezo…"

"We will," Golem replied simply. Holly glanced up at him and nodded, a shaky smile gracing her face.

"I suggest you find a way to rescue yourselves first," a voice piped up behind them. Gasping, Holly whirled to stare at Bajarl, eyes widening with shock. Golem automatically stepped between the two, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you're so worried about your friend, I can arrange for you to see each other again," Bajarl said, a smirk creasing his lips. "I'm certain that he'll be happy to see you again…"

Golem growled, and as he grabbed a piece of the wall beside him, he shouted, "Run, Holly!" Before the girl could stammer a reply, the stone giant threw the boulder directly at the baddie. Bajarl swept out of its path with an exaggerated movement, and the lid rose from its resting place once more.

"Golem!" Holly screamed, reaching a helpless hand out toward the giant stone doll as a hurricane formed around his body. Turning his head slightly to glance at her, Golem waved at her to get back.

"Holly, _RUN!_" he shouted again.

"No, Golem! I won't leave you!"

And Holly reached out and latched onto one of the stone giant's fingers with both hands. Golem's eyes widened with shock, and he opened his mouth to protest, only to have his warning drowned out by the howling torrents that enveloped them. Holly continued to cling doggedly to his hand, even as the two were lifted off of their feet, and she raised her gaze to catch a glimpse of his wavering gray eyes before the winds blocked even their sight of one another.

* * *

"What was that?" Genki exclaimed, whirling to stare at a tornado that howled into the air a few feet away. At his side, Mocchi tightened his grip on the boy's shirt, and his eyes wavered with fear as he looked up at the boy.

"Friends be okay, right, chi?" he pleaded. Genki didn't reply, and his clear eyes remained locked on the hurricane as it quickly died away. His hands balled into fists, and his teeth ground together in frustration as he spotted a single figure moving toward them.

"Not very good at Hide and Seek, are you now?" Bajarl taunted, narrow eyes glinting as he approached. "At least the girl and stone giant tried to conceal themselves…unlike the pixie girl and her giant friend."

Genki gasped, and his clear eyes wavered as images of his friends flashed through his racing mind. _Holly…Golem…Pixie…Big Blue…_

"Chiii…" Mocchi stared up at the approaching baddie in increasing terror. He clung to Genki's shirt, and gasped as the boy roughly shoved him away.

"Mocchi. Run."

"Chi? …No way, chi!" Mocchi protested, balling his tiny hands into fists. "Mocchi want to fight, too!"

"Just go, _NOW!_"

With that, Genki flung himself forward, tears falling from his clear eyes as he brought his fist back. Bajarl chuckled, and the pot opened once more. Ignoring the wind that howled around him, the boy skated forward, and barely managed to bring his fist surging forward into the surprised baddie's face before he was yanked off his feet.

"Genki, chi!" Mocchi screamed, tears springing to his eyes. He didn't even bother to run as the hurricane spread to embrace him…

* * *

Hidden from view in what remained of an alley nearby, a monster cursed in exasperation.

"Damnit! I was too late…"

Golden slits narrowed, glittering with barely contained rage, and then the lupine monster turned away from the sight and plunged deeper into the ruined city, his thoughts raging.

* * *

"Oh no…not now," Hare muttered, raising one paw to his throbbing forehead as he stumbled forward, trying to keep moving. The pain in his head sharpened intensely, and the little rabbit cried out involuntarily as he fell to his knees.

"Not now…not now…"

The images that flooded his mind flashed in front of his widened eyes like wildfire. The alley faded from view, shifting into a new scene. Sand was replaced by snow, and a cold breeze seemed to whip around the rabbit's fur, even as he struggled to keep a part of his mind focused on what was reality and what was not.

__

* This isn't real…not real, not real, not real…*

Yet he was hard pressed to keep himself from truly believing that. He glanced around in a daze, scanning the icy mountains that seemed to rise up before him. The death screams of his friends and allies echoed in his mind, and he kept repeating that this wasn't real even as he covered his ears to block out the terrible shrieks of pain. Images flashed faster and faster before him, each barely registering in his mind before it shifted to the next scene. Yet he was glad that he couldn't study these images, for they showed him the dying bodies of his friends…

And just as suddenly the vision was gone, and Hare found himself crouching at the end of an alleyway, arms wrapped tightly around his body as he shivered uncontrollably. His cheeks were tearstained, although he wasn't entirely certain that he remembered crying, not as vividly as he remembered the sensation of being unbearably cold. The strange chill seemed to linger in his body even though the illusion of snow had vanished.

"Ah, so there you are," Bajarl teased, grinning down at the cornered Hare as he jerked as gasped, whirling to stare wide-eyed at the baddie. "You're a bad little bunny, you know that? Keeping Lord Naga waiting for so long…he's been worried sick about you, you know…"

"Yeah, I _bet_," Hare growled, not even bothering to disguise the hatred in his voice. The Phoenix's Tear flared under his ripped bandanna as he summoned energy to his gesturing paws, and he pointed at Bajarl, only to hesitate slightly, gaze nervously flicking over to the pot strapped to his enemy's belt. Instantly realizing the reason for his hesitation, the genie monster let out a low, throaty guffaw.

"Worried about your friends?" he chuckled. "You shouldn't be; after all, you're the only one that Lord Naga wants _alive_."

Hare gasped, and the fiery energy pulsing around his paws flickered. "_What are you saying?_" he demanded, brown eyes wavering with fear.

Bajarl just grinned maliciously. Hare stared at the genie monster in shock, all of his will to fight draining away at the implications of his enemy's words. The fireball forming in his paws faded away, forgotten. A thousand protests flashed through his mind, dying away before he could give them voice.

Bajarl's smirk grew wider, and one muscular arm reached toward the frozen rabbit. Hare stared dully up at him, not bothering to resist. There was no reason to fight back anymore, not if everyone else was…

A flash of light tore past, and Bajarl's grin twisted into a grimace as he yanked his smoking hand back, cursing. Something streaked out of the shadows, and Hare barely had time to exclaim in surprise before he found himself being yanked rudely off his feet and practically flung onto the figure's back. Closing his eyes reflexively as he hit, Hare instinctively dug his fingers into the soft fur, clinging to it for dear life as his rescuer took off again.

__

* Wait a second…fur? *

Hare forced his eyes open, and for an instant gaped in shock at the blue-and-white fur he was clinging to. At the sound of his gasp, his rescuer glanced over his shoulder at the little rabbit, and Hare caught a glimpse of stern golden eyes before the lupine monster turned his gaze back to the path.

"Hey! Come back here!" Bajarl shouted, blowing on his fried hand hastily as he glared at the escaping searchers. "You…you can't run from me forever! Hey! _HEEEEEYYY!_"

By this point, the two had already disappeared from his sight. A sweatdrop appeared on the back of Bajarl's head, to be quickly replaced by a vein as he muttered, "Well, damnit…."

"Not doing so well, are you?" Night Flyer commented dryly as she swept up behind him and perched on a barrel.

"I-I could catch up to them if I wanted to!" Bajarl lied, looking back at the pixie hybrid with a mixture of anger and embarrassment on his face.

"Don't bother," another voice interrupted before Night Flyer could snap a sarcastic reply. "I feel that I can handle things from here…"

The two baddies stared at the speaker in shock, both wearing the exact same expression of complete surprise.

* * *

When he decided that they were far away enough from Bajarl to keep the baddie from being a major threat for a while, Tiger of the Wind slowed his furious pace enough to let his passenger off. Hare hopped off of the lupine monster's back, and he grinned happily as he turned to face Tiger.

"Ha ha! Did you see the look on Bajarl's face when you came blazing in?" he exclaimed, beaming. Tiger just shrugged dismissively, and Hare continued to smile as he added, "I can't wait to tell the others when we find them!"

Tiger stopped short, and he glanced back at Hare with a strange expression on his face. The little rabbit looked back at him, confused, and his eyes began to waver with fear as comprehension came crashing down upon him all at once.

"No…" he breathed, staring at Tiger in shock. All the feeling went out of his legs, and Hare fell to his knees as he felt tears brim in his widened eyes. "Please don't tell me that…they…all of them…"

He bowed his head and started to sob, and the blue wolf glared at him in disgust.

"Stop whining! We'll just have to rescue them," Tiger growled. Hare shook his head violently, tears filling his eyes.

"Stop trying to console me! I know that nobody's left alive!"

"What?" Tiger whirled on the little rabbit, unable to disguise the shock in his widened golden eyes for a moment. Then they narrowed again, and he growled, "Hare, don't say things like that. Genki and the others are alive…"

"No, they're dead, they're dead, Naga killed them," Hare insisted, burying his face in his paws. "Naga killed them because of me; it's all my fault! Everyone's gone because Naga was trying to punish me! It's all my fault they're gone!"

"Hare…" Tiger unconsciously slipped into a more soothing tone, one he had once used to calm his little brother down after a terrible battle had claimed the lives of a few of their pack mates. "Hare, we don't know for certain that they're dead…"

But Hare wasn't paying any attention to Tiger. He clutched blindly for the crystal dangling around his neck, tightening his paws around it almost as if he was trying to shatter it with his bare hands. Tears rolled down his cheeks as he sobbed miserably, trembling.

"I wish I was dead!" he screamed suddenly. "I wish I had died in that stupid explosion!"

Tiger heard himself gasp in pure shock, and he angrily lashed out, striking Hare hard across one tear-stained cheek. Hare let out a sharp cry, falling to one side as his paw reflexively moved to where Tiger had smacked him. He raised wavering brown eyes to stare up at Tiger as the blue wolf glared down at him.

"_Don't you DARE say anything like that_," Tiger snarled, golden eyes burning into the little rabbit. Hare stared blankly up at the growling lupine, unable to speak.

"_Oh, what a touching little drama,_" a slow, drawling voice interrupted loudly.

Hare and Tiger both jerked upright, and a low growl rumbled in the blue wolf's chest as he leapt to his feet. Behind him, Hare began to tremble again, for the voice belonged to someone that he recognized only too well–

__

* Naga?! *

The reptilian monster leaned indolently against a wall, muscular arms folded over his thick chest. The symbol of Moo at his neck glimmered in the sunlight, and a sly smile played at his thin lips.

"So, we meet again, little rabbit," Naga rasped, his calm voice sending chills down the searchers' spines. "Time for us to go home…"

He slithered forward confidently, reaching toward the frozen, trembling rabbit with one clawed hand. Tiger bared his teeth warningly, and a deep growl rumbled in his chest as he stepped between the two. Naga's only reaction was to arch one of his eye ridges slightly, and the edge of the snake man's mouth twitched in what might have been the start of a grin.

"I suggest you get out of my way," he told the growling wolf, an arrogant smirk on his face. "You and I both know that you have no chance of defeating me, and I really have no business with you. I only wish to reclaim what is rightfully mine…"

Tiger's only reply was a snarl, and as Hare stared at him in horror, the blue wolf leaped forward, lips curling back to reveal gleaming fangs as he lunged for the serpent monster's neck. Naga watched the approaching warrior with an arrogant smile on his face, and as Tiger surged forward, the snake abruptly moved slightly to one side, letting the lupine fly past him. His claws shot out, and Hare screamed in terror as blood spurted out onto the sand.

"How pathetic," Naga sneered down at the crumpled lupine, yellow eyes gleaming as they drank in the sight of the blood oozing from the deep gashes in his opponent's side. Glancing over his shoulder, he twisted his mouth into a toothy grin, and Hare shuddered, unable to tear his gaze away from the reptilian's face.

"Please…no…" he pleaded, wavering eyes locked on Naga's face. He flinched backwards as the serpent monster turned, reaching toward him with one clawed hand.

Gasping for breath, Tiger forced himself to his feet. Naga flicked an unconcerned glance back at him, arching one eye ridge ever so slightly as he watched the blue wolf attempt to steady himself. Tiger's eyes flashed deep gold as he glared back, and he gritted his teeth to keep from crying out as his side throbbed agonizingly.

__

I can't lose this fight, he told himself. _Naga killed my brother…he's destroyed so many lives…I won't let him repeat what he's done to Hare again! I won't let him…I can't let him get away with everything he's done!_

A snarl erupted from the blue wolf's throat as he lunged forward again, electricity pulsing around his horns. Ignoring the blood that splattered onto the sand as he ran, Tiger concentrated all of his energy into forming his attack.

"_LIGHTNING!_"

The blue thunderbolt surged forward, but Naga didn't even flinch. Instead, the smirking reptilian allowed the light to strike him full in the chest, and continued to leer at Tiger even as his scales sizzled and blackened. Tiger and Hare stared at him in shock as he shrugged off the attack, and before either could react, the serpent swept around, swinging his long tail out like a whip. The point caught Tiger full in the shoulder, and a fresh spray of blood showered the sand as the tail ripped directly through fur and skin, tearing open the wolf's shoulder.

"_TIGER!_" Hare shrieked as the blue lupine crumpled to the red sand, golden eyes closing as he fell. The little rabbit stumbled forward, paws desperately gesturing as he summoned a healing spell. Naga looked back at him, and pointed a talon lazily in his direction.

"Life Steal," he hissed. A dark light pulsed around Hare's body, and his voice was cut off in mid-sentence. The word to trigger his healing spell died on his tongue, and the little rabbit's wavering eyes slowly closed as he toppled forward, all of his energy abandoning him. Naga reached forward and caught the falling rabbit with ease, and the dark mist swept back towards the reptilian, surrounding the burn on his chest. The mark faded away, leaving behind unmarred violet scales in its place.

"Nicely done, my lord," Night Flyer complimented, stepping forward. Naga favored her with a toothy grin, then turned his attention back to his captive. He tore Hare's kerchief from his neck, and his grin grew wider as he fingered the precious crystal hanging around the limp rabbit's neck. He tossed the red fabric in the pixie hybrid's direction, and she automatically caught it.

"What do we do with this trash?" she inquired, giving Tiger's motionless body a swift kick. Naga glanced down at the blue wolf, then knelt and picked him roughly up by the mane. For a moment, his claws dug into bloodstained fur as he studied the lupine monster, and he briefly caressed the wounded warrior's neck, contemplating whether or not to slit his throat. After a while, however, he threw Tiger back down to the red sands, shaking his head.

"Leave him," he said. "He will not live much longer. Let him suffer his last few moments, thinking about how he has failed…if he is still able to think."

"And what of the other rebels?" Bajarl asked, floating up behind his master. Naga glanced at the pot in his hands, yellow eyes narrowing.

"Let Night Flyer handle them," he ordered at length. His two warriors nodded, and Bajarl handed his pot to the pixie hybrid with an admonishment not to break it. Night Flyer nodded curtly, then watched as Naga turned away and set off triumphantly for his fortress, his captive hanging limply under one thick arm. She glanced down at the motionless lupine monster at her feet, and her ruby lips curled in derision.

* * *

"Well, damnit anyway! How long are they gonna keep us in here? Why don't they just hurry and finish us off already?"

"Master Pixie, please…calm down…"

"Don't worry gang, after all, Tiger and Hare aren't here!"

"What, so we should be thankful that we don't have to listen to their bickering?"

"No, Suezo, I mean that they're probably going to rescue us! Any minute now, we'll hear them come charging to defeat Bajarl and get us outta here!"

"Genki right, chi!"

"Oh yeah? Personally, I think that he's full of…"

"Master Pixie, _please_…"

"Genki's right, everyone. At any rate, there's no point in arguing now. It's not like we can change this."

"Holly…is right. Fighting…solves nothing."

"Shut up, you overgrown pile of rubble!"

"Master Pixie…"

"No offense, Big Blue…"

"You know, I'm still ticked off at you for shocking me earlier…"

"_DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY ABOUT THAT?!?_"

"Eep…"

"Suezo, it was an accident…"

"_LIGHTNING!_"

__

KAZAPPP!

"But that wasn't…"

"That wasn't very nice, chi!"

"_NANI?_"

"Master Pixie, please try to control yourself…"

"We're all a little edgy right now, Pixie. Please try to calm down."

"Humph. Well, all right…"

"Ow…"

"Hey, are we moving?"

"Chi?"

"Whoa-! Yeah, I think we ARE moving!"

"Wha-wha-what's happen-n-ning-g-g-g?"

"What in the he-EEEEEYYYYY…"

"Master Pix-IIIIIEEEEE!"

"CHHHHHIIIIIIIIII!"

* * *

The next thing that the seven travelers knew, the darkness that surrounded them had shifted, and the floor seemed to drop out from beneath them. Light flooded the darkness, and Genki's eyes squeezed shut as it blinded him temporarily. He felt the ground rise up to greet him with a dull _THUD_, and he winced as Mocchi promptly landed on his stomach, knocking the air out of him. Gasping for breath, Genki finally reopened his eyes to find himself laying on a soft mound of sand that shifted beneath him. Blinking in confusion, he looked around stupidly for a few moments before his thoughts collected themselves enough to tell him what had happened.

"Hey– we're outside again!" he announced, clear eyes widening in surprise as he leapt to his feet, causing Mocchi to fall out of his lap with a squeal. Helping the little monster to stand, Genki then ran to Holly's side and helped her regain her balance as well. Dusting herself off, the girl looked around at the others in confusion.

"What just happened here?" she asked. Genki shrugged, unable to offer a reply. Behind them, Suezo choked and spat out sand as he emerged from the sand dune that Genki had landed on. Blinking furiously to get the gritty sand out of his eye, Suezo immediately began to complain bitterly about how everything horrible seemed to happen to him. Pixie shot him a death glare as she shook sand from her flaming red hair, brushing out the tangles as best she could with her fingers. The two giants of stone and ice came bursting out of the sand next, Golem gasping for air as Big Blue instantly moved to his fuming master's side.

"I am sorry if your re-emergence into the world was not quite up to your expectations," a quiet, calm voice said behind them. As one, the seven rebels whirled to face the speaker, and all of them stared in surprise.

"You?" Pixie spat, unable to believe her widened eyes.

Night Flyer nodded simply in reply, soft green eyes flicking briefly to her fellow pixie before she turned her gaze back to the group in general. Tucked under one arm was Bajarl's pot, and she had already replaced the lid, but that was not what caught the group's attention; that was reserved mainly for the motionless figure that hung limply from where the fingers of her other hand dug into its blue-and-white fur…

"Tiger!" Genki, Holly, Mocchi, Golem, Pixie, and Big Blue exclaimed in unison.

"What?" Suezo asked, still blinking from the sand in his eye. Finally clearing it enough to see, the eyeball monster raised his gaze to the hybrid and promptly gasped as he saw what everyone else was staring at. "Oh Goddess…" he breathed, then his horror sharpened into rage, and he glared up at Night Flyer as he demanded, "What did you do to him?"

"_I_ did nothing," Night Flyer responded acidly, verdant eyes becoming cold as she glared at Suezo. "This was caused by my lord and master, and more directly because of this one's foolish pride." Her voice was dripping with disdain, though whether it was directed at the eyeball monster or at her burden was difficult to judge. "This one attempted to block Lord Naga from reclaiming his precious property, and paid the price for doing so. He has only himself to blame for this!"

She tossed Tiger's motionless form toward the rebels, dropping him like a filthy old rag that she loathed touching, and Golem reflexively moved to catch the blue wolf. He gingerly lowered his precious burden to the ground, and the other searchers gathered around him. Biting her lip as she spied the numerous cuts and gashes that marred her friend's body, Holly gently supported his head in her lap, stroking the bloodstained fur as she stubbornly fought back tears. Clenching his shaking fists at his side, Genki turned and glared up at Night Flyer, who didn't appear to be the least bit disturbed by the scene unfolding before her.

"Why are you doing this?" Genki asked, not bothering to ask where the other member of their team was. He had known the moment he saw Tiger.

"Lord Naga has no real use for you or your rebel friends," Night Flyer replied, cradling the empty pot in her slender arms. "He only needs the little rabbit, and he has already retrieved him. That was the only reason we captured you: whatever happens to you now is of no concern to him. If you find the Phoenix and defeat Moo, then you will actually be _helping_ his plans…so he will let you continue unharrassed by his warriors."

"………" Genki stared up at her, clear eyes shining with determination. Night Flyer could tell what he was thinking by the expression on his face, and she shook her head.

"I warn you, do not try to oppose Lord Naga," she said, spreading her wings even as she spoke. "He is being extremely generous by allowing you to live: Bajarl would have much preferred to kill you while you were trapped. However, Lord Naga chose to spare your lives instead, since you share a common goal: to overthrow Moo. You live merely at my lord's whim: don't waste your life by defying him. I brought your dying friend here on my own, just so you would have a final chance to say goodbye. Use it well, and remember when you take your last look at his lost disc why he has perished…do not make the same mistake."

With that, she spread her wings and, with a quick spring into the air, was gone. Genki watched as she swept away, his eyes wavering.

"Come on, Tiger," Holly pleaded, gently supporting the blue wolf's head with her lap.

"Tiger be okay, chi," Mocchi promised, stroking the blood-soaked fur reassuringly, ignoring the red smears that quickly appeared on his hands. Holly, seeing the deep gashes that marked the lupine monster's chest, was not as certain, yet kept her doubts to herself as she wrapped bandages around his wounds. Suezo and Golem knelt beside her, offering what clumsy help they could.

Genki picked up Hare's bandanna from where Night Flyer had dropped it for him, and the boy held it absently in one hand as he continued to stare in the direction that Night Flyer had flown. Pixie and Big Blue exchanged a knowing look.


	20. Snake Eyes: Rematch

* * * Chapter Two: Rematch * * *

"How is he doing?"

Holly looked up at Genki slowly, her soft bronze eyes wavering.

"I really can't tell you for certain. I've managed to stop the bleeding, as least, but…he's really torn up. I hope that he'll be okay…"

Her gaze was drawn back to the blue wolf's figure, and she sighed dejectedly. Golem was standing watch over the unconscious Tiger of the Wind, his solemn gray eyes misted with tears. Nearby, Mocchi stared at the lupine monster, his wide eyes tracing over the layers and layers of makeshift bandages that the rebels had wrapped around their friend's wounds. Suezo was studying them as well, watching for places that the blood had managed to seep through the cloth completely, signaling that it was time to change them. Fortunately, the bleeding seemed to have finally slowed to a stop, though for how long he couldn't be certain.

"Damnit! I feel so powerless right now!" Pixie swore, slamming her clenched fist into the palm of her other hand. Fiery red bangs draped over her flashing gray eyes, and she bit her lip angrily. Big Blue glanced over at her, the stoic expression on his face flickering for a moment.

"You did all you could, Master Pixie," he reassured her. The female monster tossed a glare in his direction, one that softened after a bit, although her eyes still glittered with anger– not directed at the ice giant, but at herself.

"If I knew more about healing…but I never became very good with that skill. I'm a hell of a lot better healing myself than I am at healing others. If I'd learned more…"

"There is no time for regrets, now. You did all you could. That is enough."

"Golem's right, Pixie," Holly said, nodding at the stone giant in thanks. "You've done all you could, and we appreciate it. Thank you for your help."

"Yeah," Genki agreed with a nod, "without you here, Tiger would be in even worse shape. So don't worry about not doing enough…"

Pixie nodded, but her gaze drifted back to Tiger's body once more. The other rebels followed her gaze silently, each quietly hoping that what had been done would be enough. Hope was all they had left, so they clung to it.

"…We need to get moving," Pixie said at length, and all eyes turned to her. She clenched her slender hands into shaking fists, the long nails digging unnoticed into her palms as she continued, "We can't let Naga do as he pleases. He has all he needs, now, to start planning his own assault on Moo…"

"Hey, but isn't that a good thing?" Suezo interrupted, looking around at the others. "I mean, if he and Moo are busy fighting each other, then won't that mean that we'll be safe for a while? After all, that pixie said that Naga wasn't gonna come after us, and if Moo's forces are busy fighting with his…then…"

His voice trailed off under the cold stares of his friends. Pixie's eyes were frosted steel as she glared at the eyeball monster, and a vein was beginning to stand out on the side of her forehead.

"I can't believe that you would suggest anything like that," she hissed, voice dripping with venom. Gesturing at the unconscious Tiger, she spat, "Look at what Naga has done to your friend; an experienced warrior! Are you really foolish enough to see something like that and still believe that he will continue to leave you alone for long? Do you honestly think that you can trust his word? Trust me, he will only leave you alone as long as it suits his purpose to do so."

"And he still has Hare," Genki piped up, his face shadowed by his unruly bangs. "That monster has one of our friends right now, and doing who knows what to him…"

"He isn't going to kill him, that much we can say for certain," Pixie added, although whether or not she said this to reassure the boy was unclear. "Your little rabbit friend appears to be the only one who can utilize that crystal Tear of his, so if Naga wants that power, he needs both of them. He probably won't have the guts to take him to Moo to be 'changed', either. That would be too much of a risk for him, since Moo automatically senses and amplifies a monster's natural abilities when he turns them into baddies. So until he can figure out some way of controlling Hare, or how to take those powers from him, he should be safe…as safe as any prisoner could be, at any rate."

Big Blue nodded in solemn reply, and the seven rebels sat in silence for a little while. At length, Genki got to his feet, and all eyes turned to him as he pulled on his skates again.

"I'm going," he said simply, his clear eyes sweeping over the small band. "Pixie's right: we have to get him now, before he's able to hurt anyone else. I said…I promised Hare that I wouldn't let Naga hurt him ever again. I'm going to keep that promise."

"Mocchi come too, chi!" Mocchi said, standing up at once, his normally innocent wide eyes unusually grim as his hands balled into fists. Genki looked over at the young monster and nodded, then turned back to the others.

"Anyone who doesn't want to face Naga, can stay here and look after Tiger. We won't be gone long: wait for us a few days, then move on if we don't come back. We'll catch up with you later…"

"Genki, wait. There's no need for us to split up," Pixie interrupted, reaching out for the boy's shoulder. When everyone turned to stare at her, she looked toward Big Blue and said, "Big Blue, you can carry the wolf easily in your arms, am I right?"

"Yes, Master Pixie," Big Blue replied, automatically leaning to pick up the lupine monster as he spoke. Sensing where this conversation was headed, Golem intercepted the ice giant, and took Tiger carefully in his own arms as he shook his head at the other giant monster.

"Golem will watch over Tiger," he rumbled. "Tiger is Golem's friend."

Pixie nodded in curt agreement, then turned to face the others as she said, "If he carries your wounded friend in his arms, then we won't have to leave anyone behind. If Tiger has revived by the time that we reach Naga's castle, then he may be able to help. If not…then Golem should still be able to protect him during the fight. From what I've seen of your tactics, that appears to be his specialty…"

Golem felt his face flush slightly, but his eyes were solemn as he nodded acknowledgement. He weighed Tiger's motionless body in his palms, holding him carefully. Holly climbed into the giant's hands, and she took Tiger's head and rested it gently in her lap: she was there to make certain that he wouldn't slip out of Golem's grasp accidentally as they ran, even though the chances of that were slim. Suezo hopped onto the stone giant's shoulder, and as he steadied himself, Pixie and Big Blue exchanged a glance. The ice giant bent and scooped Genki and Mocchi into his own arms: it would help them to conserve more energy. Pixie alighted on his shoulder, and all eyes turned to her as she pointed the way. Then they were off; the heavy soles of the two giant monsters' feet digging into the shifting sand as they moved toward Naga's fortress.

* * *

"…Come now, open your eyes, my little rabbit. You have to face me sooner or later."

Hare refused to answer the reptilian: he hugged his knees to his chest and kept his face down, letting his ears droop over his face and hide his expression. He was not going to cooperate with this monster; no way. Never mind what might happen to him because of his refusal to listen: that didn't matter. Nothing mattered now, not even his own life.

__

* Especially not my own life… *

"Well, it doesn't really matter if you listen right now or not. Sooner or later, you will have to obey me…"

__

* You wanna make a bet of that, you slimy creep? *

Despite a nearly overwhelming urge to spit this out just to see the look on the reptilian's face, Hare bit his lip and kept silent. As much as he hated Naga, he still was terrified of him. His heart was pounding wildly against his ribcage, and part of the reason that he didn't raise his gaze to stare his captor right in the face was because he was certain that the sight would make him start screaming. Start screaming, or thrashing wildly and struggling to get away, accomplishing nothing except making a fool out of himself and giving Naga something to laugh about. Naga had always found the pain and fear of others amusing, and had always been especially amused by Hare's fear in particular.

Naga stared down at the little rabbit huddled in the shadows near the base of his throne for a little while longer, then got up. Something glittered at the reptilian's wrist, and he glanced down at it with a possessive smirk. The small crystal of faintest blue was not glowing with its normal fiery light; instead, it remained as lifeless as any other jewel, pretty and sparkling and utterly useless. Try as he might, he simply could not get the Tear to react for him. Not that it mattered, since he had someone who _could _use its hidden powers to further his own ambitions. Never mind that that someone was currently turning a deaf ear to him; sooner or later, the little rabbit would come around.

With thoughts of future victories surging through his mind, Naga departed his throne room. The massive doors of black marble swung shut behind him with a click, signaling that their latch had caught. Not that he worried about his 'guest' going anywhere in his absence. There was no way that he could escape without his magic, and nowhere for him to go if he did.

Hare kept his face buried in his lap until the echo caused by the huge doors closing had died completely away. Only then did he raise his head, brown eyes shining with a dull, resigned hopelessness. His fingers strayed reflexively to his neck for a moment, then paused as they brushed up against cold metal instead of the soft fabric he was used to wearing around his neck. Gone, too, was the familiar sensation of a slight warmth resting against his chest. He had never thought that he would miss having the Phoenix's Tear hanging around his neck, but he did now. As much as wielding its powers had brought him sorrow and pain for most of his young life, it had also been something that occasionally brought comfort to him as well. Its presence had come to represent his freedom from Naga, just as the heavy collar that hung around his neck in its absence was a symbol of oppression.

Still, there was no time for sad reflection now. That part of his life had come to an end, and since he had every reason to believe that the friends he had come to know and love during those all too short months of freedom were dead, there was no sense in thinking about it. All he could do now was wait for the end. Perhaps, if he was lucky, he might be able to bait the reptilian into losing his temper, and provoke him into murdering his 'little rabbit' in a rage. True, that would hurt for a while, but it would also be a release from everything. There was nothing left for him to live for, so why should he fear dying?

* * *

"…Grrr…uggghhh…uhhhnnn…"

Suezo's eye widened in surprise, and he whispered loudly, "Holly! Holly! Look!"

Holly glanced down, and her bronze eyes wavered with a mixture of joy and sympathy as she noticed a brief stirring beneath the eyelids of the head she still cradled in her lap. She quickly moved to support the lupine monster's head a little more as he stirred again, her fingers stroking his pelt –the parts of it that weren't covered by bandages– with an infinitely gentle touch. Sensing the movement of his precious burden, Golem glanced down at her with anxious eyes.

"Tiger is waking up?" he half-asked, half-pleaded. At the sound of his voice, Big Blue glanced over his shoulder at them, and Pixie arched an eyebrow as she glanced back from her perch on the ice giant's other shoulder. In his arms, Genki and Mocchi scrambled to climb up to get a look of their own. Finally, Pixie sighed in exasperation, reached down, and plucked the boy off of his feet, hauling him onto Big Blue's shoulder. As she reached down to help Mocchi clamber up, Genki nearly fell off of his perch as he leaned forward for a better look at his friends.

"Is he better yet? Is he okay?"

"Tiger okay-chi?" Mocchi echoed.

As if in response, the blue wolf let out a pained cough, his entire body jarred slightly by the grating sound. He winced, and slits of gold appeared as his eyes opened a little bit, shimmering in the light from the blazing sun. He groaned once more, shutting out that blinding light again as he flinched backwards, and his body tensed as he attempted to stand up. His legs refused to support his weight, and every bruised muscle in his body shrieked in agony, forcing him back down. Holly carefully slipped her fingers under his head, and Tiger's eyes opened a sliver again, glittering as his gaze fixed on the girl's anxious face.

"Tiger, are you okay?" she asked, her voice shaking with concern.

Tiger appeared to ignore the question entirely; instead his steely gaze swept from side to side, scanning the faces of those around him. It didn't take the rebels long to realize exactly what he was looking for, and Holly's bronze eyes shone with pity as she bowed her head, letting her short bangs fall over her face. Suezo again began to study the sand far below his perch on Golem's shoulder, and the stone giant gave the others a helpless look. Genki balled his hands into shaking fists at his side and gritted his teeth, while Mocchi wrapped his tiny hands around the boy's arm, seeking comfort. Pixie and Big Blue showed no obvious reaction; they simply glanced at one another silently, regarding the blue wolf as he continued to scan the small group, looking more frustrated with every moment.

"…Tiger…" Holly breathed at length, raising misty eyes to catch the lupine's own. Tiger took one look at her face and automatically understood. His lips curled as a snarl rumbled in his chest, and his golden eyes flashed violently.

"…How far to Naga's fortress?" he asked at length. There was no need to ask as to whether or not that was where they were headed; it was as obvious as the awkward silence that hung over the eight rebels.

"We're not too far away," Pixie informed him, brushing sweaty, flame-red hair away from her face as she glanced in the direction they were headed in. "We've been moving toward it for nearly a day and a half; with any luck we'll arrive there before sunset. Once we get close enough, we can rest until nightfall, and break in tonight. Hopefully, our attacking while it's dark will afford us a bit of an edge…"

"Then why are we still standing here?" Tiger asked, his golden eyes harsh as they bore into the female monster. Pixie grimaced slightly, but she made a signal with her hand, and the two giants nodded in unison before resuming their pounding over the sand. Suezo nervously scanned the horizon: from what he could tell, they would soon be out of the desert and heading into the mountains. According to Pixie's description, that was where Naga kept his castle, and the eyeball monster swallowed to relieve the unbearable dryness in his mouth. This was not something he was looking forward to, no sir…

* * *

"How is Lord Naga doing? Is everything going according to plan?"

Night Flyer narrowed her eyes in distaste as she turned to face the genie monster, her wings rustling as she folded them behind her back.

"Lord Naga is currently busy planning our next move," she hissed, curling her ruby lips just enough to let the gleaming tip of one of her tiny fangs catch Bajarl's eye. "He's in his private chambers right now, pouring over our maps. I suggest that you do not interrupt him; it would not be in your best interests."

Bajarl got the hint: he recoiled slightly, narrow eyes widening for a moment, though a teasing grin remained on his face. Raising both hands in a gesture of surrender, he said, "Whoa, whoa, okay, okay, back off, Night. I'm not going to bother him any. You're the one I wanted to talk to, anyway."

"What about?" Night Flyer snapped, arching her eyebrows at him. "I warn you, Bajarl, I have no time for any of your silly games right now. Lord Naga is not the only one that needs to prepare…"

With that, she attempted to march past him, but the genie monster quickly moved to block her way. Reaching out with one hand –he had not reverted to his smaller form after the battle– he caught her slender wrist. Night Flyer whirled to give him a look that should have withered him where he floated, but he merely grinned at her again, although this time his smile seemed a little more gentle somehow.

"What is wrong with you, idiot?" she hissed, baring her tiny fangs again in a scowl as she yanked her arm roughly away. Bajarl recoiled again, this time with genuine alarm in his eyes, and he regarded her carefully as he backed up. She waited for an explanation of his behavior, and when she realized that none was forthcoming, she snarled again and stomped off, the talons on her feet clacking against the marble floor.

Bajarl watched her go with a strange expression on his broad face. After a moment, he shrugged and made a sound that might have been a sigh, then turned in the opposite direction and started his rounds.

* * *

"There it is," Pixie said.

The comment was not really necessary, nor did anyone need to ask exactly what _it_ was. The building rose above its surroundings, its dark towers reaching into the night sky in what might have been deliberate mimicry of the jagged peaks that flanked it on either side. A frigid breeze howled through the mountains, and Pixie smoothed back her flame red hair even as the wind tore at it, and the chill cut into her body with a thousand tiny knives. Big Blue was not affected by the cold, but their other companions were, although the sight of Naga's fortress before them silenced any complaining that they might have heard otherwise.

"Let's go," Genki said at length, and the boy sprung out of Big Blue's arms, Mocchi directly behind him. Pixie nodded, and she turned to the others as Golem bent down to allow his passengers to disembark. Holly crawled out of the stone giant's protective grasp, Suezo hopped down from his shoulder, and all three of them looked at their other companion in worry. Tiger of the Wind ignored their stares; deliberately stalking past them in such a way that the bandages wrapped around his chest and shoulder did not hinder his movement. He could feel the stares of the others, feel their worry and doubts about him, and his golden eyes narrowed in poorly concealed anger. How dare they doubt his ability to take care of himself in a fight!

Yet, in a dark corner of his mind, something nagged at him, reminding him that they were probably justified in that doubt.

He had failed. That thought somehow hurt Tiger even worse than the dull throbbing that sharpened each time he moved his leg slightly. Hare had needed his protection, and he had let him down. Naga had defeated him –defeated him all _TOO_ easily, in the blue wolf's opinion– and then recaptured his 'little rabbit' right in front of him. Tiger had been completely powerless to stop Naga…just as he had been unable to prevent Moo from capturing his little brother what seemed like an eternity ago.

Shaking his head to rid himself of that disturbing parallel train of thinking, Tiger glared at the others impatiently, golden eyes gleaming with frustration. He was eager to get started with this, although he kept arguing with himself just why this mission was so important to him. Revenge, that was all it meant to him, really, he was certain of it. Vengeance for his little brother, a chance to finally settle the score with the one who had murdered Grey Wolf, then used deception and trickery to use his victim's position to further himself. So what if he'd already fought Naga once and lost: his revenge was all that mattered, and the only reason that he was here.

He stalked forward, and the other rebels could only follow as he approached the massive doors. As they walked, Pixie and Suezo continued to scan the area, hoping to spot any baddies before they could be unpleasantly surprised. None came into view, but that was hardly enough to assuage their fear of ambush.

"Doesn't look like there are any guards," Suezo whispered at length.

"Not yet," Pixie conceded, turning to face the ornately carved doors, energy flickering around her hands, "but there will be; count on it." Pointing toward the entrance, she shouted, "LIGHTNING!"

"LIGHTNING!" Tiger called as well, summoning his own attack.

The two blasts of pink and blue electricity lanced toward the entrance and struck in the same area, blowing the doors right off of their hinges. As the smoking doors fell to the floor with a resounding crash, the other rebels sweatdropped in unison.

"Maybe we shoulda knocked," Suezo joked weakly, his pupil a single dot in his wide eye.

"Master Pixie, I could have taken that door down for you," Big Blue added. Even the ice giant was sweating slightly, staring at his master in mild surprise. Pixie just smirked, and followed Tiger as the blue wolf stepped through the opening they had created.

"I don't get it, I thought we were going to sneak in," Suezo complained. "Doesn't blasting the door down kinda defeat the whole purpose of sneaking in at night?"

"Let's just get moving," Genki replied, stepping through the hole. The others quickly followed. Golem and Big Blue were forced to duck in order to fit through the still smoking entrance, and even then the others heard a dull thud behind them, followed by a muffled curse from the ice giant. Pixie shook her head slightly, a smile flickering over her face for a moment.

"I warned you not to come. Pity you were too dense to listen."

Night Flyer surveyed the group from her perch over the doorway, even as they all jerked and whirled around, searching for her. Suezo was the first one to spot her, but she did not appear to be the least bit concerned as they all glared up at her sitting figure. Her cold green eyes swept over them, and widened slightly as they rested upon Tiger's snarling face, although her startled expression did not last more than a breath.

"Oh, so you managed to survive, did you?" she commented, arching one eyebrow at the blue wolf. "And yet you still chose to come here, knowing that you could not possibly win. You poor fool: Naga will not be so gentle with you this time…"

"Heh. They won't even get to Lord Naga," Bajarl guaranteed, appearing behind the searchers with a puff of reddish smoke. They whirled to face him, then Pixie cursed as she glanced back up at where Night Flyer remained perched over the doorway, recognizing at once how serious the situation was. The hybrid regarded her coolly, making no move to attack, even as Bajarl moved a little closer to the rebels.

"Do you think that you can finish them off quickly?" she asked the genie monster, her tone both mocking and half-bored. "I would hate for Lord Naga to come down here to see what all the ruckus is about."

"Don't worry, I won't disturb him," Bajarl replied, winking up at her. "Besides, his private chambers are too far from here. He shouldn't hear a whole lot, and even if he does, this'll only take a few moments."

So saying, he reached down and unfastened the pot still hanging at his side. It floated up in front of him, and the eight searchers tensed as the genie monster smirked confidently at them. The lid lifted, and Bajarl began to laugh as a whirlwind streaked toward his opponents, who scattered in all directions to avoid the attack.

"Not this again! Can't you think of anything a little more original?" Suezo shouted, even as he dodged out of the way. He winced as the winds roared past him, crashing into the entrance and obliterating what remained of the already ruined doors.

"Why? This works just fine for me," Bajarl retorted, still grinning as he motioned for the torrents to spread further across the room. Suezo screamed in fear, and quickly latched his tail around a pillar, pulling himself behind it as the winds tore at his body. Night Flyer cried out and leapt from her perch, flapping her wings furiously to keep from being sucked in.

"Do you mind? You almost took me instead of those rebels!" she screeched, glaring down at Bajarl. The genie monster grinned stupidly up at her, not caring in the least about how angry she was.

"Everyone hang on!" Pixie shouted over the roar of the hurricane, hair whipping violently around her face as she clung to a thick pillar, pulling herself around so that the thick column was positioned between her and the center of the raging winds. Around the chamber, the others were following her example, and all of them hung on for dear life as the tornado continued to howl from the pot's center.

"I don't want to do this anymore; I want to go home!" Suezo whined, panicking as he felt his grip slip a little.

"We've gotta do something!" Genki insisted, glaring at the genie monster from his temporary cover. Mocchi cried out in agreement, squeezing the boy's leg.

"But what can we do?" Holly asked, looking over at them from the cover of Golem's arms. The stone giant tightened his grip on one of the columns and nodded solemnly, gray eyes stern.

"If we can destroy that stupid pot of his, then I could wipe him out easily!" Pixie hissed. "But…"

"Let me try, then," Tiger interrupted, his voice carrying over the sound of the roaring winds. The others swiveled to face him as best they could, and Genki cried out in horror as the blue wolf stepped out from behind his pillar. He shouted in protest, his cry joining with the others' shouts of warning, words that went unheeded as Tiger stepped forward, golden eyes fixed on the smirking Bajarl.

"Well, this is interesting," Night Flyer commented airily, watching the lupine monster with interest. Bajarl just laughed mockingly, and the genie monster tilted his pot slightly until the center of the whirlwind was lined up with Tiger. The magical gale howled, gaining force.

"Damnit!" Tiger snarled, digging his claws into the black marble beneath him. His fur tossed wildly around his body, and his golden eyes narrowed in hatred as he glared up at the genie monster. Several of his bandages were coming unraveled, and they disappeared as they were swept into the shadowy depths of Bajarl's pot. His claws dug small furrows in the marble floor as he began to slip forward, drawn closer and closer to the laughing genie monster.

"Whatever did you think you could do?" Bajarl taunted, smirking as the blue wolf was pulled toward him.

Suddenly Tiger's head jerked up and Bajarl's eyes widened as he spotted the grin on the lupine monster's muzzle. Electricity was dancing around Tiger's horns, and too late Bajarl understood what his plan was. The genie monster screamed in agony as lightning surged into his body at point-blank range, and the magical tornado died away as his smoldering lost disc clattered to the floor.

"You did it!" Genki cheered, scrambling forward to congratulate the lupine monster. The other searchers scrambled out from behind their cover and surrounded them, and even Pixie and Big Blue were smiling. The only one who wasn't happy with this turn of events was Night Flyer, who floated above the group with a look of shock on her face.

"They defeated Bajarl?" she gasped to herself, her voice soft with wonder. Then her green eyes narrowed, and she muttered, "Well, that fool wasn't worthy of being one of Lord Naga's finest, anyway. Good riddance."

She made a few quick gestures with her hands, and a dim light the same dark green as her flashing eyes pulsed into being, forming around her slender fingers. Glaring down at those gathered beneath her, she launched her attack with a scream of "GIGARAY!"

The eight rebels jerked their heads up in unison, and Suezo immediately screamed in fear as the emerald beam surged down toward them. Pixie grimaced in anger, and swept up her hands, holding them out as if she planned to catch the energy beam.

"WALL OF FIRE!" she commanded, and yellow-pink flames arced from her glowing palms, stretching into a barrier. The green streak of light crashed into it, sending sparks flying everywhere, and Suezo cried out again as one of the sparks seared into his tail. Golem and Big Blue hastily grabbed their more vulnerable friends and shielded them with their arms until the clashing energies died away.

Then, with a battle cry, Night Flyer swept down to meet them, green energy surrounding her gesturing hands. Emerald-tinted electricity lanced down upon them, and the eight rebels scattered again, Golem pulling Holly out of harm's way. Tiger and Pixie launched their attacks, and the pixie hybrid dodged both, answering their assault with a fireball.

"I'm in the zone!" Genki called, skating forward with both hands balled into fists. Night Flyer sidestepped him, calling another bolt of lightning in reply, but the words died on her tongue as Mocchi suddenly crashed into her back. A few feathers fell out of her wings, and the hybrid whirled to glare at the little pink monster, baring her fangs in a snarl as she sent a blast after him. Mocchi rolled into a ball and bounced directly into the air, letting the fireball strike the ground where he had stood, and when Night Flyer glanced up in surprise, raising one hand to shoot him down, Tiger took his chance.

"AAAAAUUUGGGHHH!"

Night Flyer dimly realized that she was the one screaming, not one of the rebels as she had thought at first. Her own voice was unrecognizable, filled with pain and shock, and she lurched forward, clutching at her stomach. Blood dripped from twin gashes in her chest, and she looked up to see Tiger standing nearby, his horns covered with the same sticky substance. The other rebels appeared to be just as stunned as she was; the two humans were gaping at the blue wolf, and the little pink monster was nearly frantic with fear. Suezo's pupil had become a single dot again, and his mouth was hanging open. Even the two ex-baddies appeared to be a little stunned.

"You'll…pay!" Night Flyer gasped, and then leaped into the air. Her bleeding wings beat desperately as she forced herself to move upward, her destination already in mind. Tiger glared up at her, and suddenly launched another attack. This time the hybrid was unable to even scream as the bolt tore into her back, and it took all her strength to keep from plummeting back down to the floor so far beneath her.

"She's getting away!" Suezo cried.

"Forget her, let's just keep going!" Pixie ordered. Turning to Genki, she asked, "Do you have any way to locate your little friend quickly?"

"Y…Yeah," Genki stammered, hastily yanking a tattered piece of red cloth from his backpack. Holding it out to Tiger, he started, "Can you…"

Tiger interrupted him by growling curtly, "I remember what that dumb bunny smells like, thank you very much!" Whirling away, he sniffed the air a few times, then glanced back over his shoulder and jerked his head slightly, signaling the others to follow him. Then he was off, his nails clicking against the cold marble floor, and the others could only scramble to keep up with him. As they ran, Suezo noticed something strange about the blue wolf's shoulder: some of the bandages had come undone, and he thought he could see a fresh red stain slowly forming on the white bandages. But Tiger's mane kept sweeping over the area, blocking his view so much that the eyeball monster wasn't really certain if he had seen it or not.

* * *

"…Naga…Lord…Naga…"

The reptilian monster paused in his work as the pained gasp reached his ears. The charts spread out before him crinkled slightly as he rose, slowly turning around to study the speaker with cold yellow eyes.

The pitiful figure that dragged herself toward him bore little resemblance to her former proud self. The pixie hybrid's beautiful wings were shredded and useless, little more than a dead weight hanging limply from her broken back. Several feathers were missing, and others fell in showers as she lurched forward. One of her antennae had been snapped clean off, and the other hung crazily to one side, barely attached to her forehead anymore. Slender, bloody fingers clawed at the black marble floor, and Night Flyer's anguish-filled green eyes wavered as she looked up at her master.

"Forgive…me…my lord," she choked, tears running down her bruised face. "I have underestimated…those rebels…I will not allow them to take me off guard again…please forgive me for this defeat…please, Lordship…"

Naga regarded her silently, his face expressionless. Even as his yellow eyes burned into the pixie's broken figure, she managed to drag herself closer to him. Entire body shaking with the effort, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his waist in a desperate embrace.

"Naga…my beloved…Lord Naga…" she whispered, wavering verdant eyes veiled by her long eyelashes. The musky scent of his body filled her nostrils, and she quivered both with pain and excitement as she allowed her arms to tighten around the reptilian's thick, sturdy waist. She wept, letting her tears fall upon the silently standing Naga's chest, reveling in the contact. Finally…finally, after all this time, she was holding her beloved master in her arms. This was something more than the moments where he would gaze into her eyes and ask her to be careful: more than the sudden, brief embraces he occasionally surprised her with from time to time. Here, and only here, in the safety awarded by the snake's presence so close to her, this was a glimpse of the happiness she was searching for. This was her everything…

Naga was making no move to comfort her; his arms hung relaxed at his sides instead of wrapping around her body, pulling her closer as he had in all-too-brief encounters before. His cold yellow eyes remained staring forward, and he did not gaze down into her stained face, so filled with love and devotion to him. When he finally spoke, it was a single word that he hissed, one dripping with venom and hatred.

"Failure."

Night Flyer's half-closed eyes shot open, tears still trickling from them as she stared up at her master's emotionless face in dull shock. He continued to glare sternly forward, dark eyes unreadable, even as a dull radiance began to glow under the pixie hybrid's tanned skin. Her form began to shrink and twist, and Night Flyer let out a long, agonized wail of pain and grief as she frantically clung to the snake monster's body.

"Lord Naga, please! Save me!" she begged, clawing at his arms and chest with fading hands. The reptilian did not respond, and his face remained indifferent as he stood there, letting the dying pixie clutch at his body. Cold yellow eyes glittered in the dim light from her shifting form, until finally her grasping hands were no longer able to grip his body anymore. Soon, the dull radiance had faded completely away, and Naga abruptly moved at last, slithering over the cold floor, ignoring the new lost disc that still cooled in his chambers completely as he left the room, his face scarlet with ill-concealed rage that was not caused by the pixie's defeat. Instead, his outrage was caused by the fear that he would lose one of his precious tools to the rebel intruders, and he hissed under his breath as he moved, heading for where he knew the invaders would go…

* * *

The huge stone doors swung on their hinges again, and Hare quickly lowered his gaze back down to the jet-black marble beneath him. He bit his lip in suppressed fear and anger, emotions that he didn't want to reveal to Naga. His eyes flinched shut involuntarily, and he tensed himself for the confrontation that was certain to come…

"Hare!"

The rabbit's ears pricked up in shock: that was _NOT_ Naga's voice that had just called his name. Opening his eyes, he raised his head, and a soft gasp escaped from him. Without realizing it, he began to tremble, although not from fear, and his wavering brown eyes filled with tears.

"Gen…Genki?" he called, his voice weak and trembling as badly as his body. Then, as the boy ran into view, waving at him and frantically calling his name, he shrieked, "Genki!" and tried to run toward his friend, temporarily forgetting the heavy metal collar fastened around his neck. He quickly remembered, however, as the short chain pulled taut and yanked him back to the ground with a bone-jarring crash.

"Hare!" Genki screamed, taking the steps up to the platform where Naga's throne stood two and three at a time. He skidded to a stop and fell to his knees next to his friend, clear eyes wavering with fear as Hare stared back up at him. The others pounded up the stairs a moment later, and Holly sucked in a gasp as she saw the thick metal collar around Hare's neck.

"Oh Hare…what did they do to you?" she breathed, crouching down beside Genki and stroking the rabbit's tangled fur. Seeing the expression on her face, Hare quickly tried to assuage her fears.

"Not a whole lot," he said, attempting to smile reassuringly. "Naga didn't seem to be all that interested in hurting me: he just chained me up here and kept trying to convince me to join him. I ignored him, naturally, and for some reason, he didn't try to beat an oath of loyalty out of me…I'm all right, really."

"He probably doesn't want to risk hurting you so badly that you can't use the Phoenix's Tear for him," Pixie snarled. Her glittering gray eyes were fixed on the metal collar and chain, and narrowed slightly as the sight brought back unpleasant memories. Noticing the expression on his master's face, Big Blue grimaced in anger, and suddenly reached down and seized the chain, snapping the metal with a quick twist of his fingers.

"…Uh…thanks…" Hare stammered; it had startled him a little how quickly the ice giant had moved, and the ease with which he had twisted the chain to pieces was a little unnerving. Still, it felt great to be rid of the collar, and Hare rubbed his neck slightly as he added, "Thanks a lot, Big Blue."

A smile flickered over the ice giant's features for the barest second, then his gaze turned to his master as she whirled around, scanning the throne room for any signs of a baddie trap. Suezo and Tiger were also scanning the area, and the eyeball monster sighed in relief as nothing threatening came into view.

"We should get out of here now," Tiger snarled, turning to face the others. Pixie nodded in agreement, her face grim.

"But what about the Phoenix's Tear?" Genki asked, indicating Hare's bare neck. The rabbit glanced over at him, unconsciously rubbing his aching neck. Holly winced, noticing where the collar had dug into his skin a little, and averted her gaze at once, turning her attention to the others.

"We can't just leave the Phoenix's Tear here," Tiger snarled. "I don't like the idea of something like that in Naga's claws…"

"You baka," Pixie snapped. "Don't you remember why Hare was kidnapped in the first place? He's the only one who seems to be able to use the Tear: if Naga were able to, we'd all be dead right now. So without Hare to use it, the Phoenix's Tear might as well be a shiny stone for all the good it's gonna do Naga."

"Okay…so we get Hare out, then deal with Naga later," Tiger conceded, growling a little. His golden eyes glittered with frustration; he hated the idea of retreating now, while they were currently holding the advantage over the baddies. But still, he privately admitted that this was the best choice: his shoulder was beginning to throb again, and he wasn't certain how much longer he could hide the fact that blood was seeping through his bandages from Holly and the others.

"Here," Genki said, handing Hare his kerchief, "put this on, and then we'll get you out of here. We can worry about getting the Phoenix's Tear back from Naga later…"

"_I suggest that you worry about me now, fools!_" a raspy voice bellowed from the doorway. Massive doors crashed shut, a dull metallic clunk signaling that the lock had caught, sealing the searchers inside the echoingly large throne room.

If Naga's face had been scarlet with rage before, it was purple now, and he came at the rebels, not with his claws, but with his Evil Shot technique. They tried to evade it, but Naga's throw was low and accurate, and his outrage further sharpened his aim. The blast went off directly as the edge of the group, and while the reptilian had deliberately thrown it in such a way that it would not affect Hare, the other eight rebels were knocked in all directions and into the black marble walls and pillars.

Holly's body hit the wall first, knocking all the breath out of her, and her head followed a moment later, sending black waves of stars across her eyes, and leaving her stunned and unable to draw in air. She lay there in pain, trying to gasp, as with a tiny part of her mind she heard the meaty thwack of Suezo's slamming into a pillar a few feet away from her.

Holly shook her head to clear her vision, and the movement must have cleared something else as well, for suddenly she could breathe again. She pulled in a long, cool gasp of air, coughed, and pulled in a second, then looked up, trying to make her mind work again.

Naga stood with his back turned to her, stiff with anger. Hare huddled against the side of the black marble throne, his face white with terror and shock. There was a gleam of crystal at the reptilian's wrist.

"I may need you to control the Phoenix's Tear, little rabbit," Naga hissed, "but I have no use for your worthless friends! I am going to kill those fools, and as for you–"

His hands shot out and he seized the quivering rabbit by the shoulders before Holly knew what he was doing. In the next instant, he threw Hare against the hard marble throne, where he lay limp and boneless. As the reptilian turned, Holly saw his face.

It was no longer purple, or even scarlet. It was its normal shade, and as controlled as if he was talking about inconsequential rumors with his allies. And when he spoke again, his voice was controlled, too, and so cold that it might have frosted the marble. Holly shuddered, and Hare hid his head in his shaking arms.

"I am going to kill them," Naga repeated. "But I am going to do more than that. I am going to _annihilate_ them. I am going to destroy them so completely that nothing of them will remain to show that they ever existed. And I am going to take my time about it."

He smiled. 


	21. Snake Eyes: Explosion of Rage

* * * Chapter Three: Explosion of Rage * * *

Genki forced his eyes open, trying to ignore as best he could the throbbing in his head. His entire body ached: he could feel something warm trickling out of the back of his head, matting his hair, although thankfully it didn't feel like it was a particularly serious wound, just a small one. Reaching up to the back of his head, he massaged the area, and was pleased to note that he didn't see any bloodstains on his hand when he brought it back in front of his blurring eyes.

Sucking in painful gasps of air, he glanced around, scanning the throne room for his friends. He knew before he raised his head that he probably would not like what he saw, and unfortunately was correct. Holly was crumpled against the wall opposite him, and Suezo lay moaning at the foot of a pillar a few feet away from her. Golem was struggling to get up, a rather difficult task considering that Big Blue had landed directly on top of him. The ice giant was in a near frenzy as he attempted to rise, his eyes wild as he stared over at where Pixie's legs jutted from a pile of rubble. As for Tiger and Mocchi, they had not been thrown as far as the others, and were crumpled at the foot of the pedestal that Naga's throne stood upon.

And Hare was lying against the side of the jet-black throne of marble, and Naga was standing in front of him. Even from this distance, Genki could see clearly the cruel gleam in the serpent monster's yellow eyes, and he gritted his teeth in a weak attempt to stifle his outrage. Naga's back was facing the boy at the moment, apparently speaking to the terrified rabbit cowering beneath him, and the youth strained to make out what the reptilian was saying.

"…to kill them. But I am going to do more than that. I am going to _annihilate_ them. I am going to destroy them so completely that nothing of them will remain to show that they ever existed. And I am going to take my time about it."

Genki suppressed a shudder at how nonchalantly the reptile monster said this, even as he attempted to rise. The wheels of his skates squeaked in protest, and his feet slid out wildly from underneath him for a few seconds, nearly dumping him back on his face again. Steeling himself as best he could, Genki waved his arms around until he got his balance back. The back of his head continued to throb in a dull rhythm, but he ignored it, focusing his attention on the drama unfolding before him.

Naga was still sneering down at Hare, his back pointed toward the youth. Genki saw his chance and took it, skating forward as fast as he could. His legs protested the movement, but he still managed to work up a decent head start before he abruptly sprang into the air. Thrusting his feet out in an imitation of a karate kick, he leaped toward the reptilian's back, for once not announcing his attack with a battle cry.

But Naga abruptly sidestepped, and Genki streaked past him and slammed into the hard marble floor next to the throne. His cheek grated painfully against the cold, semi-smooth surface, and the pounding in his head increased sharply. He was dimly aware of Hare's voice screaming his name, and scattered cries of protest from his friends. Then talons dug into his shirt, and he was lifted off of the floor by a strong grip. Clear eyes fluttered open to see a pair of cruel yellow eyes glinting back at him from a reptilian face. Naga's deep, slightly mocking voice rasped in the boy's ears.

"Foolish human child, did you really think I could be taken off guard?" he sneered, a demonic smile twisting his purple lips. Before Genki had a chance to answer, he found himself flying backward through the air, the figure of Naga getting further and further away. He had the barest glimpse of Hare beside the snake monster, wide eyes filled with fear, then the back of the boy's head met the wall, and blackness flashed across his vision.

"Genki!" Holly screamed as the boy slumped to the ground a few feet away from her. She could see where the force of his hitting the wall had formed a slight indentation, and her breath quickened with fear. Then he groaned, and clear eyes opened again, much to her relief, even though she winced inwardly as the boy moaned in discomfort, trying to stand.

"Holly…" Suezo's voice moaned from nearby, and she whirled to face her friend as he shakily attempted to stand. He crawled over to her, attempting to place him between her and Naga, while the reptile monster watched in mild amusement, an arrogant grin on his face.

"You rebel fools are so amusing," he hissed. "Your powers are all so weak, and yet you still seem to believe that you can win against me! I wonder how my associates could have ever allowed themselves to be defeated by you. Luck, I'm sure; fool's luck, or else those idiots were much weaker than Master Moo believed them to be…"

"I heard that," Pixie growled, finally emerging from the rubble that covered her. Flashing gray eyes burned into Naga as she hissed, "They didn't defeat me; they freed me from Moo's influence. They might have converted Gali too, if he hadn't tried to wipe them all out with one of his Tornado attacks and forced them to kill him. And as for _Kaze_," and she snarled the name deliberately, "you hand-picked him yourself, so you should know better than anyone else why he failed."

Naga arched an eye ridge at her, the only outward signal that he was truly surprised by her knowledge of his secret plot. However, his arrogant smirk remained, and his eyes glittered as he leered at his former colleague.

"So, you finally figured that out, then? Not bad for a weak monster like you, Pixie _dear_…and just think, you might have enjoyed the same fate as that fool Grey Wolf, if you had only waited a little while longer before running off with the rebels! Certainly that would be much more preferable to what is going to happen to you now…"

At the mention of his little brother's name, Tiger snarled, his golden eyes locked on the reptilian monster as he struggled to get up. His shoulder shrieked with agony, throbbing with each slight movement, and he bit his tongue to keep from howling with the pain. Beside him, Mocchi was attempting to rise as well, pushing himself up from the floor with a soft moan.

"Chiiiii…Tiger…you okay, chi?" he murmured, spotting the lupine monster beside him. Tiger ignored the question, instead glaring at Naga. Something gleamed faintly in the dim light, and Tiger felt his eyes widen slightly with surprise as he noticed the small, teardrop-shaped crystal that hung around the reptile's wrist.

"So that's where he's been keeping it," he growled, golden eyes narrowing with thought. Mocchi, noticing his expression, followed his gaze up to the snake monster, and gasped. Turning his attention back to Tiger, the little pink monster waited to see what the more experienced fighter thought their next course of action should be.

He didn't have to wait very long. With a battle snarl, Tiger lunged for the reptilian's back, claws flashing as he brought them down in a deadly swipe. Naga whirled to face him, smirked, and sidestepped the attack, lashing out with his tail as the blue wolf surged past him. Tiger yelped and Hare screamed as the reptile's whip-like tail crashed into the lupine monster's back, sending him crashing to the ground.

"You again," Naga said, grinning down at the blue wolf. "I thought I took care of you before…well, I'll take care of that little oversight right now…"

He seized his opponent's long blue fur and hoisted him into the air. Mocchi sprang toward him, rolling into a ball, but Naga raised one arm and batted him away, sending him skidding back down the steps of the platform. As Hare watched in silent horror, the reptilian began to tighten his grip around the blue wolf's neck, slowly choking the life out of him. Tiger gasped and struggled wildly, lashing out with his legs in an attempt to kick his tormentor, but Naga just laughed it off, cruel yellow eyes glittering.

"_STOP IT!_" Hare shrieked, finding his voice at last. "Let him go! I said _STOP IT!_"

Naga laughed even harder, glancing back at the little rabbit with an arrogant smirk.

"Don't worry, little one, this'll be over soon enough," he promised, leering as he added, "And once I'm finished with this one, your other friends will follow quickly enough."

He squeezed harder, and Tiger yelped involuntarily, the choked-off sound echoing through the throne room. Genki hollered the blue wolf's name even as he struggled to rise, a struggle he was currently losing. All around the room, the rebels were screaming in outrage, and Pixie cursed vividly as she attempted to stand, slumping against the half-fallen pillar behind her. Mocchi screamed at Naga to stop, then sunk back down to the floor, gasping for air, his tiny hands clenched into helpless fists.

Naga saw all of this, and he threw back his head and laughed, reveling in the pain and agony he was causing. His talons dug into Tiger's fur all the harder and he continued to laugh wildly as the blue wolf's struggles lessened.

"_DRAGON KICK!_"

Naga gasped in surprise as something blazed into his back at full force, knocking him forward. His tight grip on his victim went slack, and Tiger sunk to the floor, sucking in precious gasps of air as the reptilian turned to face his attacker. Naga's yellow eyes were unnaturally wide, and he gaped at the little rabbit standing behind him in shock: obviously he had never actually considered the fact that his little prize might attack him. Hare glared back up at him, his eyes wide and frightened, yet his paws were balled into fists, and he dropped into a defensive position, ready to attack again.

"You…you…you…" Naga sputtered, unable to believe it. His back ached horribly: when had his little rabbit achieved such power? His back…by all the gods, his back was actually beginning to _bleed_! How…how could this little weakling be able to hurt him like this?!?

Naga's eyes gleamed with outrage, and in that moment, all of his scheming and plotting was forgotten, driven out of his mind by the throbbing pain in his back. Bringing back his arm, he sent the little rabbit skidding backward with one blow, and summoned energy for his next attack even as Hare gasped with pain and slumped to the floor. Violet light flashed into existence around his curled talons, and he hissed one last time in anger as he sent his Evil Shot surging forward.

"Hare, _LOOK OUT!_" Genki screamed, the warning coming a little too late. Hare looked up just in time to see the violet-tinted energy blast bearing down upon him. He froze, temporarily too stunned to react, not even able to dodge or counterattack.

"Hare, chi!"

Something bounced directly between the rabbit and the blast, and Hare shielded his eyes with one arm as an explosion sounded. A shrill shriek ripped through the room, rising above the roar of the blast, and Hare felt a shock of recognition rip through his body.

"CCCCCHHHHHHHHHHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

A smoking pink ball was thrown out of the explosion and skidded to a stop next to Hare, who stared at it in dull horror as it slowly unrolled. Mocchi smiled weakly up at the bunny, his wide eyes shining with happiness at having saved his friend. He reached up with one trembling hand, and Hare quickly took it in his own paws, near tears as he saw the burns on the younger monster's face. Mocchi pressed something into the rabbit's palm, and it began to pulse with faint light. Startled, Hare pulled back one of his paws and slowly opened it, still clutching Mocchi's hand with his other paw. He gasped faintly, and stared down at the pink monster in growing comprehension.

"Chiii…I got it back for you, chi," Mocchi explained, a faint smile on his face. "See, it belongs to you-chi, not Naga…"

Overhearing this, Naga stole a quick glimpse down at his wrist, and let out a hiss of outrage as he noticed that it was bare. His yellow eyes flashed as he glared over at the two monsters, spotting a faint crimson glow in Hare's palm. Genki and Holly gasped, realizing what Mocchi had done, and their eyes wavered as they stared at their friends.

"You can beat him, chi…" and with this last comment, Mocchi's eyes slowly closed, and his tight grip on Hare's paw relaxed slightly. The rabbit gasped, and his brown eyes wavered as he clutched at his friend's hand.

"Mocchi? Mocchi!" he called, his voice trembling as much as his body was. The little pink monster did not reply, and as Hare stared down at the younger monster's faintly smiling face, he felt something within him change. His senses seemed to sharpen acutely, and every detail of the moment burned itself into his mind. He was fully aware of Genki's screaming Mocchi's name, of Suezo's terrified gasp, Tiger's snarl of outrage. He heard the dull thud of feet against marble as the other rebels surrounded them, felt their presence as Holly knelt by their side, choking back tears as she gathered Mocchi into her arms. Most of all, he could feel a sort of charge pulsing through the air, filling the entire room with a sort of charge.

__

* How…how many times do I have to watch those I care for suffer? Why do innocent people and monsters have to die because of me? I lost my family…my friends…my entire life once before! Does it have to happen again? Is this…is everything all my fault? *

* Mo…Mocchi! *

"_NNNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!_"

Hare screamed at the top of his lungs, and suddenly a fire ignited deep inside of his body, raging and coiling as it shot through his system. A fiery crimson light seemed to explode around him, the sheer force of its sudden and violent appearance throwing the rebels in separate directions. Holly twisted sharply to avoid landing on Mocchi, and Golem caught her and Suezo as well in his arms. Pixie cried out in shock as she was flung backwards, Big Blue and Genki next to her. Tiger skidded to a stop first and whirled around, golden eyes wild with shock as he gaped at the twisting pillar of flame that rose from where Hare was standing.

"HARE!" he heard his own voice scream, barely able to recognize it with all the fear and shock that was carried in it.

Hare sobbed. Crimson fire was licking up his rigid body. Genki rushed toward the rabbit, some part of his mind noting as he yelled at his friend to stop that the flames were not affecting his short brown fur.

"Hare!" he cried, reaching out desperate arms for his friend. As the young boy rushed past, Pixie extended a long, slender arm and clutched his shoulder.

"No!" she hissed. "Keep back, or you'll get burned to death!"

Genki scarcely heard the words, but the hand gripped him like a vise, and he could not break free of its grasp. Hare's sobs rose into a raw, high shriek. The rebels gaped, terror-stricken, at the little rabbit. Even Suezo's incredible eyesight could barely make out Hare's figure beneath the blinding blaze. Crimson flames leaped in all directions, burning everything in their path indiscriminately. The dull pink shine of Pixie's shields flickered, nearly consumed by the scarlet blazes that surged against their smooth surfaces.

Naga watched the blazing pillar with a hint of fear shining in his yellow eyes. However, the fear was almost completely overshadowed by his excitement, and a grin pursed his lips as he murmured, "So this is the true power of the Phoenix's Tear? Heh…with _THIS _under my control, Moo won't even be a problem anymore…GUARDS!"

He bellowed this last word, and even before he had finished speaking the doors were thrown roughly open, nearly crashing off of their hinges as a wave of Zuums burst into the room. All of the dinosaur-like monsters bore crests on their chests, and all of them raced in with fangs and talons flashing, ready to rend their master's enemies to shreds.

And all of them died as a blast of fire arced out of the coiling pillar and met them head on. Their figures writhed and shrank under the blaze, their shrieks of agony echoed through the chamber, shrieks that were answered by an angry shriek that rose from the pillar itself. This voice was barely recognizable; it was so tinged with fear and outrage, yet all of the searchers jerked with shock as they heard it.

"Hare!" Genki called again, struggling to free himself from Pixie's stubborn grip, heedless of her cursing as she attempted to keep hold of him and keep the barriers that were the only thing standing between them and death up. Seeing her problem, Big Blue stepped forward and took hold of the boy himself, wrapping his thick fingers around the youth with a grip that was both gentle and firm, holding him back without harming him. Genki beat against his fingers anyway, clear eyes locked on the blazing figure before them.

Holly watched from the cover of Golem's hands with a sort of dull shock, one that threatened to sharpen into hysteria at any moment. Suezo pressed his side into her back, quivering with fear, and in her own arms, Mocchi stirred slightly and opened wavering eyes, peering around in confusion, then up at Holly.

"Where's Hare, chi?"

Holly had no idea how to answer him, so she clung to the little monster instead, keeping him pressed close against her. Golem shielded them as best he could with his own body, and the stone giant winced as a tongue of flame licked closer toward them.

Hare knew he was screaming. Crimson flames coiled and swirled around his fur, lanced from his body. Wherever he looked monsters –baddies– burned and died where they stood. He heard screams, and drowned them out with a long, enraged shriek of his own, rising high as monsters writhed and crumpled, swept away by scarlet flames.

The fire inside of his body curled and raged, and he felt a panic rise with it. This power– he couldn't control this! He would bring death to all of his friends –to everybody around him! They would burn away to ashes, just like his home village had before, completely consumed by flames –_NO_! The flames parted from before his eyes just enough to allow him to see the others scattered around the room. Somehow, he managed to find Tiger through that blaze; the blue wolf was collapsed a few feet away from him, staring up at where he stood. Golden eyes locked with his own and darkened instantly, then widened with alarm, and Hare turned in time to see Naga moving toward him, reaching out to grab him.

Naga's eyes bore into his own, glaring at him with all the cold arrogance and pride of one of Moo's generals, the terrible strength that had kept him captive before. The reptilian did not fear him, secure in the knowledge that he was just a child, still the weak and helpless youth that he had been when his village was destroyed.

Hare's eyes flashed bloodfire, and his rage exploded like the aura that flared around him. Oh yes, he was still the same little rabbit that Naga had tormented all this time, but now he had the means to fight back! Burn, then, oh invincible Lord Naga, burn and know how it feels, you who burned countless villages, countless lives to ashes…_BURN!_

Hare pointed his burning paws at the reptilian, willing the crimson flames to arc from his fingers. Naga burned. Violet scales melted, bubbled and popped under relentlessly coiling crimson flames that surged around his writhing body. He toppled to the ground and was lost in the blaze that surged through the room.

Hare screamed again, and that might have been the signal for more of Naga's forces to come barreling into the room. The baddies must have taken his scream for one of fear, and were probably coming in to finish off whatever remained, easy prey undoubtedly already half-dead after facing their invincible Lord Naga.

Easy prey was exactly the right term. The baddies quickly realized their mistake once the first wave of fire leapt to greet them, and many turned to flee, only to discover that it was too late. There was no more time for them to attack or run; in the face of the power of the Phoenix's Tear, they only had time to die. This, at least, they did well enough, collapsing under the relentless fires that surged to greet them.

The flames parted from his eyes again, and Hare stared at what he had done in mute terror.

__

* What…what have I done? Ten, twenty…fifty, sixty…how many are there? Is there no end to this? *

Another shriek ripped through him, and Hare pointed his paws toward the only safe target left, the only thing that would not scream so horribly as it died. Crimson flames lanced up and outward readily enough, searing through the thick stone ceiling and walls as if they were dry wood. The roof fell in, burning away to ashes, and showered those few still alive in the throne room: a handful of rebels cowering in what little shelter and protection they could find or create, all staring in growing terror at the shrieking, blazing thing that had been one of them.

The fires had finally lessened, and Hare could feel himself shaking as raw energy continued to pour from his body. He sank to his knees amid the scattered rubble, all that remained of Naga's once-glorious fortress. The fiery aura wavered and flickered, crackling faintly as it slowly faded from his fur.

Suddenly he was very tired, and he swayed on his knees. His gaze fell to his chest. His bandanna, already tattered and worn from before, had long since burned away to nothingness, and the Phoenix's Tear still gleamed and sparkled on his bare chest. Somehow he managed to bring his arms up before him as he fell, shivering, to the scorched stone floor.

The fires were gone, and he was cold, so numbingly cold.

"Hare!" Genki screamed, seeing the little rabbit collapse. Finally twisting free of Big Blue's protective grip, the boy lunged forward, crashing face-first into Pixie's barrier. Half-blinded by tears, he clawed at the nearly invisible shield and yelled, "Let me go! He needs help!"

Pixie was only too glad to drop her shields, and she slumped to the ground as Genki rushed past her, darting toward where Hare lay. Big Blue automatically reached out to steady his master, and she would have waved him off in irritation if it weren't for the fact that she barely had any energy left. Shaking fingertips brushed her sore cheek, tracing over the burns she had received, and she winced despite herself. They hurt like hell, but at least they could easily be healed, both with her magic and natural means, if need be. That was hardly the case for most of Naga's forces, she knew…

The other rebels were beginning to emerge from the rubble as well. Golem gasped for air as he stood up, accidentally showering those who he had shielded during the battle with small pieces of the once-grand marble walls and ebony dust. Suezo hacked and coughed, and Holly hastily covered her own mouth to keep from doing the same, while Mocchi mimicked the movement. Some distance away, Tiger was also rising out of the ruins, gasping and choking. What remained of his bandages hung half-off of his body and were completely coated with black marble dust, dust that clashed considerably with the bloodstains both old and fresh that spotted the once-white cloth.

"Goddess…" Suezo breathed, looking around at what little remained of Naga's fortress. The entire building had caved in, leaving only a few scorched stones still upright. All around them, lost discs lay half-buried in the rubble, some of them completely uprooted, and others hopelessly smashed to pieces. Other than themselves, there didn't appear to be any survivors left in the ruins, although Suezo wasn't entirely certain that this was a bad thing. As selfish as it sounded, he privately hoped that all of the baddies had ended up dying, just so they wouldn't have to worry about an ambush while they were recovering.

"Hare! Hare!" Genki called wretchedly, dropping to his knees beside the little rabbit and reaching out to seize his shoulders. He quickly yanked his hands back as soon as they brushed up against the rabbit's fur, however: it was blisteringly hot, even though the fiery aura had faded away. Genki remained crouching beside Hare, tears of frustration coming to his eyes. He couldn't even help his friend, who for all he knew might even be dying, and–

A strange noise behind him cut the boy's thoughts off in mid-sentence. His aching body tensed, and he whirled toward the source of the noise, his mouth dry.

A burnt, blackened figure was emerging from the debris. Genki's breath caught in his throat as he recognized it despite its injuries, and the gasps and growls he heard from scattered places indicated that the other searchers knew it as well.

The slithering figure righted itself, hissing in both pain and outrage. Its entire right side of its body had been charred to blackness; once-violet scales were fused together in a black mass. One webbed hand hung limply, uselessly, at its burnt side, the claws twisted and half-melted away. One of the gleaming yellow eyes had completely disappeared, hidden under the charred disfiguration of its snake face, and the remaining eye glowed with a wild dementia.

"Naga is here," the figure rasped. "Flame and fire and burning and power and _NOTHING_ can kill Lord Naga…"

"Goddess," Pixie cursed, glaring at the reptilian's wretched form as he lurched forward, "Will this never end?" Pursing her ruby lips in exasperation, she attempted to stand, only to slump back down into Big Blue's ready hands. She cursed again: she had used far too much of her energy trying to hold up her shields earlier. She had nothing left to use to defend either herself or anyone else against Naga…

The reptilian was lurching roughly forward, his one remaining eye glaring at what was his obvious target. Genki cast a quick glance back at the unconscious Hare, then around at the others, who were all either too far away or too hurt to help. Gritting his teeth, the boy stumbled back to his feet, steeling his legs in an attempt to keep the wheels of his skates from sliding. Clear eyes shining with determination, he glared up at Naga as the reptile monster drew closer, deliberately blocking his path.

"Genki…Hare…" Tiger snarled weakly, seeing their danger. The blue wolf struggled to right himself, but his side gave a sudden, painful throb that sent a shockwave through his entire aching body, and his stubborn legs folded beneath him. Tiger cursed openly as he slumped back among the debris, his golden eyes glittering with frustration.

A sneer tugged at what remained of Naga's half-fused lips, and his single eye glittered with cold yellow light as he raised his good arm. Blackened, twisted claws stretched out, eager to taste blood, and the reptilian let out a terrible roar as he brought his fist back down, ready to rend Genki to shreds.

A streak of silver light lanced through the air, and Naga's hand froze in midair, the deadly claws hovering inches away from the boy's face. A choking noise came from the reptilian, and blood dripped from his gaping mouth. The crimson fluid spattered Genki's face unnoticed as the boy stared at the jeweled hilt protruding from the reptile monster's neck.

Naga's glassy, pain-filled eyes flicked to the side, and Genki somehow managed to turn his head enough to see what the reptilian was trying to look at. A few feet away, Holly stood with one arm still hanging in front of her body, panting hard. Her soft chestnut-brown eyes were locked on Naga, and her talisman no longer rested in its sheath.

The strange choking sound came from Naga's throat again, and then the reptilian began to topple slowly to the ground. As he collapsed, his skin began to glow with a dull inner radiance, and his already mangled figure twisted sharply, becoming smaller. By the time his form hit the ground, it had finished its transformation. A bloodstained dagger clattered to the floor at the foot of the new lost disc.

For a few moments, the only sound that could be heard in the mountains was the dull rasp of Holly's gasping. The girl sank to her knees, bronze eyes wavering as they misted with tears, and she stared dully down at her trembling hands, as if expecting to see evidence of what she had just done smeared in telltale crimson streaks over her palms. She let out a ragged screech of terror, then buried her face in her palms and wept with the shock of knowing what she had done. Suezo quickly moved to her side, and the eyeball monster leaned up against her comfortingly, letting her face in his side as he stroked her back, crooning a low comforting tune under his breath.

The other searchers recovered slowly, and Golem carried Mocchi over to where Genki still knelt by the unconscious Hare's side. Setting the little pink monster down on his feet, the stone giant gently took the little rabbit into his arms, ignoring the heat that radiated from the rabbit's body. Genki stared blankly up at him, then looked down at Mocchi as the younger monster latched onto his arm, and bent to comfort him.

"Genki," Pixie called, and the youth looked up as the female monster swept over to him, Tiger and Big Blue following behind her. Her gray eyes were solemn as she said, "I think it's best that you leave here as soon as possible. Whatever's left of Naga's army may come running over here once they hear about what's happened. You'll want to be long gone by then."

"Uh-hm," Genki murmured, dully nodding his head, a look of pure disbelief that this was happening on his face.

"Big Blue and I will stay in this area," Pixie continued, holding up a hand to silence the boy when he jerked his head up, eyes wide with protest. "Look kid, there's no reason to argue over this. Naga really tore this entire area up while he was ruling it. Big Blue and I will clean up the mess he's left behind, first by getting rid of any of his followers that might still be around, and second by rounding up any survivors left and helping them start over. Once we've got all of that taken care of, we'll set out to meet up with you again. You concentrate on finding the Phoenix in that time, okay?"

Genki could not reply; he simply nodded again, and turned to the others. Golem nodded back at him and lifted a still sobbing Holly and Suezo from the ground, shifting them in his arms so that they were close to the unconscious Hare, then the stone giant turned questioning eyes to Tiger. The blue wolf snorted and turned away, stalking forward to lead the other searchers from the ruins, walking with an affected step in an attempt to keep himself from limping and giving away the weakness of his body. Genki scooped up Mocchi and let the little pink monster latch onto his back, then looked back at Pixie and Big Blue one last time before taking off after his friends, his skates squealing slightly as he worked his way through the rubble, all that remained of Naga's once grand fortress.


	22. Decisions

I still don't own Monster Rancher.

This is a rather short story set after the events in 'Snake Eyes'. You kinda have to read that to understand this. I hope that you enjoy this, and as always, I welcome any comments that you have on this. Thank you.

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"This looks like a good place to stop for tonight," Holly commented, looking around at the small clearing. Golem nodded in silent agreement and sat down, carefully cradling his precious burden in his arms for a moment more before setting Hare down on the ground.

"Hey, how ya doing, buddy?" Genki asked, leaning forward to gaze worriedly at his friend. Hare smiled groggily up at the boy, testing out his legs, then sighed as he slumped to the ground, obviously drained.

"I'm okay," he replied, "just tired. I'm kinda upset that it's taken me this long to recover from the fight…"

"Well, you used a lot of power fighting Naga," Holly replied, smiling gently as she helped him to his feet and led him over to a place where he could lie down. "It's no wonder you're still tired."

"Yeah," Suezo agreed, "you shoulda seen yourself, Hare! I wish I had power like that…"

"If you had power like that, Suezo, we'd all be in a lot of trouble," Tiger muttered darkly from a few feet away.

"But I don't remember anything," Hare muttered, frustrated. "As much as I've tried, the last thing I remember from the fight is Naga hitting Mocchi with an attack, and Mocchi giving me back the Phoenix's Tear. After that…"

His voice trailed off, and Hare shrugged helplessly, grimacing with frustration at his inability to remember. Holly and the other rebels exchanged glances; they had already privately decided that it was probably for the best that Hare not know everything that had happened. Mocchi had recovered shortly after the fight, and was his old self again, and they had already informed their friends that Pixie and Big Blue had decided to stay and search for survivors of Naga's reign. Other than that…

"Let's just relax," Holly said at length, smiling. "We've been traveling a long time today, and we need some rest. Now, who wants some dinner before we get some sleep?"

* * *

It didn't take very long for the rebels to get comfortable, and by the time the moon rose into the star-studded sky, everyone had fallen asleep. Genki and Mocchi leaned against each other's backs; Holly's head rested on Suezo's tail; Golem had placed himself equal distances from where they and Hare slept; and Tiger was on the edge of the group, tail curled around his paws for warmth. A chilly breeze whirled though the valley, stirring the soft green grass till it waved gently back and forth, finishing off the serenity of the scene.

Tiger's eyes abruptly opened, twin slits of gold glittering in the starlight. He silently rose, scanning the campsite, his allies, for any sign that they were not already asleep. The only movement that came to his searching eyes was the gentle rise and fall of his friends' chests: he was the only one who was still awake.

Exactly the way he had hoped for. The blue wolf stalked forward quietly, continuing to keep a wary eye on the others, moving carefully to avoid making any noise that might awaken them and jeopardize his self-assigned mission. As he stepped past Genki, the youth suddenly yawned and rolled over, the tips of his fingers brushing against Tiger's leg. Tiger froze, tensing involuntarily as the boy groaned in his sleep, and remained standing perfectly still, not daring to breathe. Genki's fingers clenched around his paw, and Tiger resisted the temptation to yank his leg back, instead waiting to see what would happen.

"Mmm…you're gonna get it, Moo!" Genki muttered, tightening his grip around Tiger's leg until the blue wolf had to bite his tongue to keep from yelping. "With this sword, I'll cut you to ribbons! I won't let you turn any more monsters into baddies!"

__

Oh great, Tiger swore inwardly, although he didn't make a sound, _he's dreaming. What the hell am I gonna do if he tries to use this 'sword'?_

Fortunately, he didn't have to find out, as Genki soon released his leg and rolled over, mumbling something along the lines of, "Hah! You missed me, Moo! You can't beat me, 'cause I'm the Monster Champ!"

Tiger couldn't keep himself from smirking slightly as he heard that, yet his eyes remained solemn as he regarded the boy, making certain that he wasn't about to wake up. After a few moments, he carefully moved past, watching him like a hawk the entire time. Only when he was safely past Genki –and out of his reach– did he breathe a sigh of relief. Turning around, Tiger's eyes narrowed into golden slits as he gazed at a sleeping form just a few feet away from him.

A cold breeze swept through the small clearing, and Hare shivered slightly, instinctively curling himself into a ball without waking. Tiger regarded him coolly, eyes glittering as if lit from within, and his thoughts drifted back to the events of just a few days before.

He still couldn't believe what had happened. He had gone over the events at least a dozen times since then, probably more, trying to understand just what had happened during the fight, and still nothing made much sense to him. He had only managed to reach one conclusion that made any sense to him, one that he couldn't share with any of the other rebels.

Hare had to die.

It was simple in his eyes: the power he had witnessed Hare unleashing on Naga and his minions was something that was far too dangerous to allow to exist. Over and over again, his mind repeated the same questions: what if something had gone wrong? What if Pixie had not been there, or had not poured all of her strength into keeping up her shields, the one thing that had kept them from sharing the same fate as Naga's warriors? What if Hare had lost complete control –if he had any at all during that fight– and turned on the others, deliberately trying to hurt them? What if –and this was the possibility that really bothered the blue wolf– Moo managed to get hold of Hare and turned him into a baddie, just as he had done with Grey Wolf?

The answer to this was obvious: if anything like that happened, then they would all die. It was as simple as that: there was no way that they could possibly hope to stand up against such power, if it ever came to something like that. There was only one way that it could be avoided: Hare's death. That was the one path open, and Tiger was willing to take it if it meant saving the others.

Naturally, he had not informed Genki and the other rebels of his decision. He knew what would happen if he did: they would try to stop him, talk him out of it. Genki would undoubtedly accuse him of being heartless again, something the others would be quick to agree on if he tried to convince them that this was the best path to take. Mocchi would start crying, Suezo would glare at him, Golem would quickly make certain that there was no chance of him getting close enough to do what had to be done. They all would be watching him.

But this was the only way for them to be able to move on; this was the only path Tiger could take to ensure the safety of the others. The power of the Phoenix's Tear was simply too strong, too strong to risk allowing to survive. It would have to destroyed, and the only way that he could accomplish that was by eliminating its user. Now, while he was still weak from unleashing so much energy, while he was still unable to stay awake and alert for more than a few hours at a time, while he still needed to recover: this might be the only chance that Tiger would ever get. Any further delay might result in tragedy for the searchers.

He was standing directly above his quarry now, gazing down at his back. Lightning crackled into existence around his horns, casting shadows over the blue wolf's solemn face. Golden eyes gleamed with an inner light, taking on an almost incandescent glow as the blue-tinted electricity pulsing around his horns grew in strength, crackling faintly. Tiger took a deep breath, then every muscle in his body tensed as he prepared to launch his attack.

Suddenly Hare rolled over in his sleep, and Tiger paused for a moment as he got a look at the little rabbit's relaxed face. It was almost serene, a stark contrast to the danger he was currently in, and he continued to breathe evenly, fast asleep, blissfully unaware of the fact that death hovered above him, sparkling and arcing impatiently, waiting to be unleashed. Tiger stared down at the little rabbit, a strange, almost pitiful look coming over his face for a moment.

Then, gritting his teeth, Tiger made his decision, and a howl of rage erupted from his lungs as electrical energy crashed from his horns. His golden eyes winced shut as he fired, and his howl became a wail that echoed through the valley, miraculously not waking the other rebels as it rose and faded away, leaving behind a deafening silence.

Tiger bowed his head, golden eyes wavering, and a single tear squeezed out of his reluctant eye, tracing a path down his scar before falling upon the scorched earth at the blue wolf's paws.

And a bare inch away, Hare lay fast asleep, his chest rising and falling with his gentle breathing. His fur was not even singed by the blast which Tiger had deliberately struck the ground with instead of the little rabbit. The blue wolf watched him for a moment, then turned away, stalking off as silently as he had come up to him.

__

(Why? Why couldn't I kill him? I'd be better off if he was dead, wouldn't I? What's wrong with me?)

Tiger flopped onto the ground, wondering this to himself. The sweet smell of the fresh grass beneath him filled his nose, slowly driving away the stench of scorched dirt that still hung over him. He buried his face in the grass, forcing his eyes to close in some mimicry of sleep, although they would not close completely for him. Finally, he relaxed enough for his eyes to become golden slits, and he gazed over at the other sleeping rebels, his gaze drawn against his will to where Hare lay, still fast asleep.

* * *

The next morning, the rebels stared at the smoking patch of earth, completely puzzled.

"That's strange," Genki finally commented at length. "Wonder what happened…"

"Do you think that maybe the Phoenix's Tear reacted to something?" Suezo asked. "An enemy, maybe?"

"I don't know, maybe," Hare replied, fingering the crystal thoughtfully. "But you'd think that if that was the case, that it would have woken me up instead of just flaring up. Maybe there wasn't any time, and it just blasted whatever it was."

"But if it blasted an enemy, wouldn't we see a lost disc somewhere?"

"It might have just been driven off, whatever it was," Holly said, shivering a bit. She was a little thankful that there wasn't a lost disc sitting there: that was not exactly a pleasant sight to wake up to in the morning by any stretch of the imagination.

"Hare okay?" Golem asked. Hare smiled reassuringly up at the stone giant, nodding.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Whatever it was that caused this didn't hurt me, and I'm feeling a lot better than I did yesterday. I think I'm finally recovered from the fight."

He started to walk forward, then suddenly moaned softly and slumped forward slightly, taking a few steps to steady himself. Turning around, he smiled a little wistfully at the others.

"Maybe not…"

Golem just smiled as he bent and lifted Hare back into his arms, even as the little rabbit insisted that he _was_ feeling a lot better now, he _could_ walk on his own now, and _didn't_ need to be carried anymore. Holly giggled a little at his protesting, and Suezo just rolled his eye in mock exasperation. Grinning, Genki ran to the front of the group, Mocchi directly behind him, and called for the others to follow him.

"Let's go find that Phoenix!"

"Chi!"

The courageous seven set off again; continuing their journey, already putting the strange patch of burned ground out of their minds as they headed forward. Only one of their members stayed behind, the only one who knew the truth about that small area. Golden eyes gleamed as he took one last look at it, then Tiger of the Wind turned away and followed after his allies, lost in his own dark thoughts. He did not look back.


	23. Reminiscence

Please forgive me for taking so long with this part! X___X;;;;; I'm really, really sorry; I had no idea this would take this long! I just wanted to make certain that this was something I was satisfied with before posting it; since it deals with a character's history, it's kind of important that I make absolutely certain that I'm happy with the results. I have to work with this later; please don't kill me for taking so long! I hope that you enjoy this part… I also want to take this time to thank Xing Li again; if he hadn't helped me fix the problem with my account, I never would have been able to put this up! Thank you so much! …Um, oh yeah, and I don't own Monster Rancher. That covers everything; please enjoy the fic!

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Another day of searching for the Phoenix had come to an end, and while the courageous seven had nothing to show for the day's travels, all in all, things had not been entirely bad for them either, Golem mused as he looked down at his sleeping companions. For one thing, they had not been attacked at all for nearly a week now, meaning that they had not had to fight needlessly. That fact alone was enough to raise the peaceful stone giant's morale, and only Tiger had appeared to be upset by the lack of action, although Golem thought that part of his anger was faked for their benefit. After the battle with Naga, Tiger had not exactly been in the best of shape, with his shoulder nearly completely smashed in, the wounds on his chest reopened, and a bruised windpipe from the reptilian's attempt to choke him to death.

That was another thing to be thankful for; Tiger had completely recovered from his injuries, and Hare was also doing much better than he had been. The little rabbit had exerted an incredible amount of energy during the fight with Naga, defeating most of the reptilian's warriors as well as completely leveling his fortress, and the effort had left him drained and weak. Immediately afterwards, he had passed out and gone into a coma, slipping in and out of consciousness while the others watched and fretted over him. They had been forced to move quickly, and Golem had taken it upon himself to watch over the little rabbit until he recovered, carrying him in his arms and keeping a close eye on him, even after he had reawakened.

Even after he had finally come to, Hare had been terribly weak and sickly; it was like he had drawn upon reserves of energy he had not even possessed during the battle, and was now paying for that with interest. He couldn't move on his own very well, and often stumbled or fell when he attempted to walk. Oftentimes, his feet seemed to completely refuse to carry him, and Golem had continued to carry him without comment, as if this was the way they had always traveled.

Hare didn't seem to be too pleased by the fact that he couldn't take care of himself, and Suezo's teasing him at first had not helped, although Holly quickly took the eyeball monster aside for a little 'discussion' that apparently had convinced him to shut up. As for Tiger, the blue wolf had surprisingly chosen not to comment on Hare's situation at all, something that the others were silently grateful for. The last thing Hare needed at this point was to get into a fight with Tiger.

Finally, though, it looked like Hare had recovered, at least enough that he was able to walk on his own again instead of being carried by Golem. The stone giant had needed to scoop him up later on, however; Hare had been so determined to prove that he was okay now that he had kept walking until he had used up all of his energy and fallen asleep. Fortunately, by that time, it was late enough in the day that the others had decided to go ahead and set up camp.

Now it was nighttime, and the stars sparkled brilliantly above the small clearing they had chosen. Golem gazed up at the sky, a soft smile on his stone face. Back when he was a child, the night sky had always fascinated him for some reason, although he couldn't quite put a name to it. Some of the adults in his village had joked that it was simply because it was a sort of forbidden sight back when he was young; the children were _supposed_ to be fast asleep by the time the stars came out, even though that didn't stop any of them from trying to stay up at least once.

Golem doubted that this was the cause, however. Probably it was just the sheer sight of it that awed him; a million points of light shining in the darkness, like candles flickering in the darkened halls of a house, meant to guide those who lived there with their light, however faint it might be. Light against the darkness, shining through despite the fact that it should have been overshadowed, standing out in the blackness…

A sudden noise caught his attention, and the stone giant glanced around the campsite. After a moment, his gaze rested on Hare, and a concerned frown creased his lips. The little rabbit was whimpering softly in his sleep, and occasionally kicked the air restlessly in what might have been an attempt to run, or maybe to fight off whatever it was that was in his dream. Golem knelt next to his friend and gently took one of the rabbit's paws in his hand: it looked small and fragile against the hard rocky skin that covered his palm.

A few moments passed, Hare groaned in his sleep and shifted again, his paw tightening slightly around Golem's little finger. Tears brimmed in his closed eyes, and Golem stared at him in concern, wondering if he should try to wake him up. If he was having a bad dream, then perhaps it would be best to…but if he was having a vision, would it be wise to awaken him before he reached the end? Before he could reach a decision, Hare decided for him.

"Mommy…" he whimpered, a tear rolling down his cheek as his wavering brown eyes slowly opened. He looked up at Golem's concerned face in confusion for a moment, then pulled his hand away suddenly and hid his face in his arms, folding his ears back so that they cast shadows over his face.

"What is wrong?" Golem asked, making his voice as soft and gentle as he could. "Why were you crying?"

Hare's only reply was to bury his face further into his arms and murmur a reply so faint that Golem couldn't hear it. The stone giant frowned slightly with concern, then attempted to bend down so that he was at eye level with the little rabbit, rather difficult considering the major difference in their sizes. Finally, he was forced to make do with simply lying on his chest, arms crossed in front of him, and even then he still was looking down at his friend.

They remained like this for some time, Golem watching the little rabbit carefully and Hare keeping his face hidden in his folded arms. Finally, Hare glanced back up at him, realizing that he would not leave him alone until he got some sort of reply.

"………My mother…" He relented in a soft whisper, and Golem's eyes misted with sympathy. That, really, was all that needed to be said for him to understand, and probably a bit less painful than if his friend had tried to elaborate. Rather than forcing him to, Golem remained respectfully silent, and for a few moments silence reigned once again in the clearing.

"………Hey Golem?"

"What?"

"………What was your home like?"

Golem looked slightly taken aback for a moment, then smiled in understanding. Sometimes the best way to forget your own experiences was to listen to someone else's. Hare had raised his head enough to gaze up at the stone giant's face, and he watched as his friend looked back up at the stars, his eyes slowly becoming distant as he began to speak quietly, beginning with his earliest memory…

* * *

A swirl of blinding white light slowly faded away, sharpening into the features of a large room of gray stone walls. Gray eyes blinked, unused to sight, and the newly unlocked monster looked around in curiosity, drinking in the novelty of life. As more details came into view, he studied them with rapt interest: the four pillars with strange carvings at their tops, the intricate pattern etched in the floor beneath his feet, and in particular the small group of figures that stood behind a raised platform, studying him with as much interest as he did them.

"A purebred golem," one of them, a shapely creature with scaly green skin and a leaf green tunic on announced, a slight grin on her face. It did not seem strange to the newly born monster that he could understand the words; it seemed perfectly natural to him. However, he could not recognize the breed of monsters, only that this woman –for he somehow sensed that this creature was female, whatever that meant– was somehow similar to him.

"I told you it would be a purebred," a small monster with large eyes and even larger ears trilled, beaming as it did a triumphant back flip. Its short pink-and-white fur shimmered in the light coming from a wide opening behind them, but the young monster found himself watching the small monster as it jumped and cavorted, saying, "Didn't I? Didn't I?"

"Whatever, Fairy Hopper," a dinosaur-like monster with red plates on its body said, rolling its black eyes. "You guessed it would be a purebred, but just remember before you try to collect on that bet that _I_ said it would be some sort of golem. We were both right, so nobody truly lost."

The smaller monster's mood seemed to sour slightly at that remark, and it slumped down on the dinosaur monster's back, muttering, "Don't be such a jerk, Crab Saurian, I was just saying that I was right. I don't even care about the stupid bet."

"I bet," Crab Saurian replied with another roll of his eyes. The female monster glared at both of them, frowning.

"Listen to you two; how can you bicker like that in front of a child? We're being incredibly rude to our new arrival…" and here she stepped forward, smiling apologetically at the stunned youth. "Well met, not-so-little one. I am Dixie, a Pixie/Zuum, and these two are my friends, Fairy Hopper the Hopper/Pixie and Crab Saurian the Zuum/Arrow Head. We welcome you into the world, and to our humble village."

The new monster blinked down at her, completely confused. For the first time, it registered in his mind that he was looking down at them, and he glanced down at his feet. Indeed, he was taller than they were, although not by much. This struck him as both being odd and somehow right at the same time. As if sensing his confusion, the female monster –she had called herself 'Dixie', hadn't she? – smiled reassuringly up at him.

"Forgive Fairy Hopper and Crab Saurian for their rudeness, child," she said, walking up to him. She wrapped her delicate arms around one of his fingers, and again he was taken aback by the difference in their sizes. However, it didn't appear to startle her in the slightest, and she led him off of the raised platform toward an opening in the far wall. The other two monsters had stopped their 'bickering', as she had called it, and stepped out of that portal into a blazing light, one almost as bright as the one that he vaguely remembered from a few moments before.

He hesitated before the opening, shielding his eyes from the light with his free hand. However, Dixie was gently insistent, and she crooned reassurances to him, urging him out into what she called the 'world' with promises of a 'peaceful' 'village' to 'live' in, and 'many new friends' close to his own 'age'. He wasn't fully aware of that those terms meant, but the tone of voice which she spoke of them in hinted that these were good things.

So he chose to follow her, and blinked several times as he stepped 'outside' and into a new world that assaulted his senses. As his eyes adjusted to the light, he was startled to see bursts of bright colors spreading out in every direction; from his short time in the 'shrine', as Dixie called it, he had thought that the entire world must be as gray as he was. But no, this new place was full of vibrant colors, a dizzying assortment that staggered his young mind. Strange, pleasant scents wafted up to him on the cool breeze, and he kept staring down at the ground as they walked, particularly entranced by what was so far beneath him: a floor the same vibrant green shade as Dixie's scales, and softer to the touch, far softer than the stone had been.

And then there were the flowers. Bursts of color against the verdant grass, they dotted the landscape surrounded them almost more than the towering trees that stretched their branches into the sky. The newly unlocked monster was entranced, and he longed to stop and bend down to get a closer look at these pretty things, to feel them, to smell them, but the gentle yet firm grip on his hand led him on.

As they walked on, the he noticed a strange pair of lumps on Dixie's back, and he couldn't keep from staring at them. Again, she noticed what was holding his attention, and laughed brightly. The two strange lumps suddenly extended from her back, stretching out to their full size. They looked like long, thin pieces of skin, and he continued to stare at them, unable to comprehend what they were.

Then, she sprang into the air, and the young monster's mouth formed an 'O' of surprise. Dixie was now suddenly eye level with him, only how was she doing it? There was nothing beneath her to support her, yet she remained firmly in one spot as if she was standing on something. She laughed gaily, turned around, and then he finally noticed that the unusual things on her back were pumping in a set rhythm, and that was apparently what was keeping her suspended in midair.

"These are called wings, little Golem," she explained, "and they allow me to fly."

To demonstrate this, she began to do a series of dazzling flips and turns in midair, while the young Golem watched in open-mouthed amazement. Earlier, she had appeared to be much smaller than he was, but now, as she cavorted above him, she seemed much bigger than him. He couldn't take his eyes off of her, not until she alighted back on the ground and smiled back up at him again, smaller once more.

She took his hand again, and continued to lead him forward once more, chattering about how much he would like the village once they got there. He ignored her without even knowing it, still thinking about what she had done.

'Flying.' It sounded so wonderful, and looked so fantastic. Furtively, he glanced at his own back, trying to see if he had what she had called 'wings' too. Nothing came to his searching eyes. He felt a keen pang of something, but was still too young to know that it might be called 'sorrow'.

Then they had apparently arrived at their destination, for Dixie suddenly stopped and released his hand once more. As he looked around in childish awe at the strange stone structures that were propped up between the tall trees surrounding the clearing, Dixie clapped her hands and whistled sharply, calling out.

"Everyone come out! I want you all to meet our newest member!"

"Come on out!" Fairy Hopper added, flapping up. Golem noticed for the first time that the tiny monster with the big ears also had the gift of wings, although his looked very different from Dixie's slender, leathery ones. Confused, he wondered if all monsters were supposed to have wings, and if he was somehow flawed.

Then he took a good look at Crab Saurian, and decided that he was wrong: the red-plated dinosaur also lacked wings of any sort, so he probably was not flawed at all. Some monsters did not get to be able to fly… For some reason, however, that thought did not comfort him.

Other monsters were poring out from the stone structures now, and all of them were peering up at him curiously, examining him. Golem felt what seemed like hundreds of pairs of eyes boring into him, and he shifted nervously under their gaze, looking down at the ground, trying not to see any of them. Some of them turned away to talk in hushed whispers to one another, and he longed to know what was being said. Newly unlocked, he was all too rapidly learning what it felt like to be nervous and worried about the opinions of others.

"This is Golem, a purebreed," Dixie was saying, gesturing toward him as if he was on display. In a sense, of course, that was exactly the case. Several of the smaller monsters were particularly interested in him, and many of them crept up to him, staring up at his face with a mixture of curiosity and fear on their faces.

One of them in particular caught his eye: a small girl-child who in many ways resembled Dixie, only smaller. Her skin was a much lighter, softer green shade, and her short orange hair was pulled back into ponytails that bobbed slightly as she tugged on the older pixie's arm.

"Dixie-mama," she asked, staring up at her with huge verdant eyes, "Is this the new friend you told us that you were going to unlock?"

"Yes, Serinity," Dixie confirmed with a nod and a grin. "His name is Golem, and he's going to be living with us in the village now."

Serinity turned her wide-eyed gaze on Golem again, and he returned her stare. She had the precious gift of wings as well, although hers were much smaller than Dixie's and were folded up against her back. After a moment, she smiled, and he managed a shaky, nervous smile in return.

That seemed to calm the other monsters as well, for suddenly they began to chatter normally amongst themselves. Golem heard a soft sigh, and turned just in time to catch Dixie shaking her head and grinning. Apparently, he had been accepted. The younger of the monsters were gathering around him now, loudly introducing themselves in their high-pitched voices.

"Hi, my name's Rocky Fur, but everybody calls me Rocky…"

"I'm Mustardy, nice to meet ya!"

"Hee hee, my name's Pink Hopper!"

"I am Balon, pleased to meet you…"

"I'm Aqua Mew!"

"Call me Fly Eye, big guy!"

"My name is Serinity…"

* * *

Within a few days, he had learned all of their names. All of them were the younger members of the village; like him, they had been unlocked only recently, and many of them were still just beginning to learn the ropes and rules of their hometown. From what he could tell, Balon was the eldest of them, although the Tiger/Gali hybrid was still several years younger than the other members of the settlement were. At any rate, Balon quickly took it on himself to help Golem out, and within a few days, the young stone giant knew the basic rules he had to follow.

"Never leave the valley unless you're with an adult. If you are with an adult and leave the valley, do everything they tell you to do. No questions asked, and no protests. Just listen to what they say, and obey. …Why is it like that, Balon?"

"I don't really know, it's just the way it is," Balon replied with a soft sigh. "You're not supposed to argue about it, anyway. You'd just be getting in trouble, and if you get in trouble, I get in trouble too, since I'm the one teaching you all of this. So don't question it, just do it."

Golem nodded to show he understood, but privately he decided to try and talk to Dixie later and she if she could explain to him just why they had to stay in the valley all the time. So far, out of all of the adult monsters here, she seemed to be the one that cared most about the younger monsters. Hopefully, if he waited long enough, his new friend Balon wouldn't get blamed. Not that it would be fair for them to get mad at his friend just because he had a question. That wasn't right, was it?

* * *

Another bright day, and the young stone giant raced after one of his friends as she cavorted in a field of flowers. Her short hair was caught up in twin ponytails that bobbed and bounced wildly as she ran in front of him. Her eyes were the same brilliant green shade as fresh green leaves, and they twinkled brightly in the sunlight. She executed a few somersaults, sending up a spray of petals around her, then giggled wildly as she rolled onto her back, watching as the scattered blossoms floated gently in the breeze.

It was at times like this that Golem thought that Serinity was exactly the right name for her. He wished he could join her, just frolicking in the beautiful fields without care, but he knew that he could not. His body was simply too heavy: he would only end up crushing the fragile blossoms, and not for the first time he felt a sharp stab of some strange emotion in his heart as he watched the small pixie play in the very same fashion that he longed to, but could not. It wasn't jealousy; at least, it didn't feel like jealousy to him. It was more a certain feeling of longing, a lingering regret that he was not more like her.

"Hey Golem!" Serinity turned to stare up at him, verdant eyes flashing. The stone giant jerked slightly and looked down just in time to catch a glimpse of something colorful she quickly hid behind her slender back. She grinned up at him, and motioned for him to kneel down.

"Come on, Golem, kneel down and close your eyes," she prompted, giving him a look which he vaguely remembered Dixie calling 'puppy dog eyes'. Not knowing what else to do, he shrugged and knelt, obediently closing his eyes, shutting out the sight of the small pixie's smiling face. Something slid over his head and settled lightly around his neck, and Serinity's tinkling chime of a giggle rung out.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now!"

Again, he obeyed, and for a moment stared blankly down at the garland of flowers hanging across his chest. Serinity grinned up at him, wide jaden eyes sparkling with laughter.

"So do you like it? I thought you might…I know how much you like flowers, so I figured you would like this…I hope you do, I worked hard on it… It's pretty, isn't it?"

Golem could only nod, fingering the delicate chain of blossoms delicately, looking down at the young pixie hybrid for a few silent moments. Her delighted grin grew wider, and she giggled again, then she turned away and skipped off, stopping a few feet away from while the stone giant still knelt. Glancing over her shoulder, she flipped a stray strand of orange hair away from her flashing eyes and gestured for him to follow.

"Come on, Golem, hurry up!"

Golem gazed over at her, and slowly rose, a shaky smile on his face, and he hurried after her, his longer legs enabling him to quickly close the distance between them. She apparently hadn't counted on this, for she let out a small shriek –not of fear, more of shocked delight– and took off running, giggling wildly. He ran after her, sending a spray of rainbow petals into the air with each step, and to his surprise heard a second laugh join with the sound of her own. The thing that surprised him the most was the fact that the laughter belonged to him.

* * *

"Why is it that we cannot leave the village, Dixie?"

The pixie with the scaly green skin sighed, and she looked up into Golem's curious face. The young monster had asked her this question many times before, as well as the other adult monsters. Always he had been answered with a curt "Don't ask silly questions," or just as likely, "Wait until you're older; you'll understand when you're older."

But he had never been happy with this answer, and she knew that he would continue to push until he got a more satisfying one. If he didn't get one soon, she feared that he would do something that would get him in major trouble. That didn't seem too likely; he had always been one to follow the rules, even when he didn't quite understand them. But still, there was always the chance…

"Golem…do you know what the term 'evil' means?"

A confused look appeared on the stony face, and Golem slowly shook his head no. Dixie sighed again and rubbed her forehead slightly for a moment, trying to decide how best to explain the word to him.

"Okay…well, do you know what it means to be 'bad', then?"

Golem nodded: he recognized that term. He had heard the adult monsters use it several times to refer to Mustardy's tendency to pull pranks on everyone.

"Well, do you remember back when Mustardy thought it would be funny to push Rocky Fur in the lake?"

Golem nodded again; that little incident he remembered only too well. Mustardy had sneaked up behind Rocky Fur while the rabbit hybrid was arguing with Aqua Mew, Pink Hopper and Serinity, insisting that he didn't want to go in the water. Of course, he had ended up in it anyway after the dinosaur monster gave him a sudden shove with his tail, sending him sprawling into the water. Everyone had laughed, even Golem, hesitantly, and they waited for him to emerge and start yelling at Mustardy.

Only he didn't come up right away. The next thing Golem knew, Balon was screaming something about Rocky not knowing how to swim, and that sent everyone into a panic. While Fly Eye went running for help, Serinity, Balon, Aqua Mew and Pink Hopper hauled the sputtering stone rabbit out of the water. Golem had stood by in stunned horror, able only to watch as Mustardy anxiously stood over his friend, screaming and sobbing for him to get up while Serinity worked on reviving him. By the time Fly Eye had come back with Dixie and Crab Saurian sprinting behind him, Rocky had finally opened his eyes, and was trying to calm a visibly upset Mustardy.

"I didn't mean to hurt you!" he had shrieked over and over again. "I didn't mean…I never meant to hurt you! Are you sure you're okay? I never meant for you to almost…I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm sorry…"

Now Dixie was saying, "Well, 'evil' would be like if Mustardy had really meant for Rocky to get hurt when he shoved him in. You know, like he had wanted him to drown…"

A shock ran down Golem's back at that. That…that didn't even seem possible to him. Mustardy had been so upset, so upset… To imagine that he might have meant for something terrible to happen was unfathomable.

"I…I don't understand…"

Dixie just nodded, her emerald eyes darkening slightly as she studied his shocked face.

"I thought you might not. I had hoped that…never mind," and with that she turned and walked away, leaving the young stone giant alone with his raging thoughts.

* * *

"LIGHTNING!"

Crab Saurian grunted as the emerald-tinted electricity struck him full in the chest. Sliding back a few steps, he gritted his teeth in suppressed agony, then raised his head to fire a burst of flame at his attacker.

"Aah!" Dixie cried out involuntarily, shielding her face with her arms. As the scales on her arms threatened to burn away, the hybrid bit her lip until a droplet of red blood stood out on its surface. Panting, she nevertheless smirked at the red-plated dinosaur, asking, "Is that the best you can do? LIGHTNING!"

Crab Saurian roared again as green energy surged through his body again, and he slumped to the ground with a grunt of pain. A trickle of blood oozed out of his mouth, and as he lay sprawled out before her, Dixie slowly advanced, verdant energy arcing around her fingers.

"Get up," she hissed. When Crab Saurian only groaned in reply, she grimaced, and her foot shot out, slamming into his side with a dull thud.

"Get up, damn you," she ordered, eyes startlingly cold as she glared down at the crumpled dinosaur. "You can't give up now, we've barely begun to…"

"Dixie!"

Startled, the scaled pixie whirled around to spot Golem and Serinity standing behind her. Both of the young monsters were staring at the crumpled Crab Saurian with widened eyes, and then Serinity screamed, breaking the awkward silence. The younger pixie stumbled forward, falling to her knees beside the wounded dinosaur.

"What-what's happened to you?" she sobbed, shaking the older monster's crimson-plated shoulders. "Please…please get up!"

Crab Saurian groaned, and the dinosaur monster slowly got to his feet, half-supported by Serinity and a still stunned Golem. Shaking his head slightly, he looked up at Dixie, and the two elder monsters exchanged a strange, knowing look.

"I'm fine," he muttered, curtly. Then he added, in a tone so low that neither of the children could hear him, "Why did you have to interrupt us? I swear, it's getting harder and harder to…"

He let his voice trail off, and descended into a dark sulk as he allowed the younger monsters to care for his wounds and help him home. Dixie trailed behind them, solemn jaden eyes veiled behind lowered eyelashes, thinking thoughts that would have frozen the blood of those innocent children that walked before her, if they had been able to hear them.

* * *

"You came."

Golem's heart leaped in his throat when he heard the hushed whisper behind him, and he had to bite his tongue to keep from crying out with shock. Whirling around, he sighed with relief as he looked down into Serinity's youthful face. Her eyes seemed to glow with an inner luminescence of their own as they reflected the pale light of the moon.

"Be quiet, or we'll get caught," she hushed him with a quick whisper. Turning away, she gestured for the stone giant to follow after her. The two youths crept as silently as possible away from the village, Golem ducking low in an attempt to compensate for his height. Being big made it very difficult to sneak around unnoticed, and once again he wondered why he had agreed to come with Serinity tonight. The younger monsters were all supposed to be asleep after night fell; if they were caught, they would get into a lot of trouble…

"This way," Serinity whispered, interrupting his thoughts, "we're almost there."

"Almost where?" Golem asked, as quietly as he could with his naturally booming voice. Serinity looked back at him in alarm and the two tensed for a few moments, half expecting to hear Dixie yelling at them. When no scream came, they sighed silently, and then Serinity led Golem further away from the village, only stopping when they came to a valley of flowers. Golem looked around; it was the same field they played in during the day, but it looked different in the dark.

"Serinity, why did we come here?" he whispered as best he could, confused. The pixie hybrid turned and looked up at him, huge verdant eyes sparkling in the moonlight.

"I wanted to show you something," she murmured, then added, raising her hand to point at the sky, "Look up there!"

Confused, Golem raised his eyes to the darkened sky, and the stone giant gasped softly. Suspended above them were countless points of light, shining against the darkness that seemed to cover everything. He stared up in silent awe, not knowing what to think, and Serinity quietly murmured, "It's pretty, isn't it?"

"What is it?" he asked, not knowing what to think.

"I'm not really sure," Serinity admitted, staring up at the sky. "I think they're called 'stars'. I heard Dixie talking about how pretty they are once. But she said they only appear at night. That's why I wanted to come out here tonight; to see what they looked like."

"Oh…so why did you want to bring me out here too?"

"Well…we do lots of things during the day together, right? So I thought we could do this together too. Besides, it's pretty, isn't it?"

"Yeah…"

The two young monsters fell silent then, gazing up into the sky with wonder. The sparkling stars above them shone brightly against the blackness of the sky. They stayed that way for most of the night, until finally Golem noticed that the sky was beginning to lighten.

"Uh oh…Um, Serinity, I think we should be getting back soon," he whispered, reluctant to break the spell the stars had cast over both of them. Serinity blinked, startled, and gave him a blank look before glancing back up at the sky again and nodding.

"Yeah…come on."

The two crept back as quietly as they could, careful not to wake anyone in the village. Only when they were safely back in the large building used as a bedroom for the younger monsters were they able to relax. As Golem tried to feign sleep, Serinity whispered something so softly that he had to strain to hear it.

"…Golem? Do you think…do you think that maybe we can do this again sometime?"

"………Sure."

The door creaked open, and Golem and Serinity hastily closed their eyes and pretended to sleep. Dixie walked in, clapping her hands to rouse everyone.

"Wake up, everyone! It's a beautiful new day!"

Golem and Serinity answered with a duet of groans, and Dixie arched an eyebrow in surprise, but said nothing. Instead, she simply continued to clap her hands and call for everyone to awaken, ignoring the protesting going on.

* * *

Time continued to pass as it always does, as those living in the sheltered village grew and prospered. Yet, somehow, as Golem got older, he began to wonder if it would last for much longer.

He had no idea why he was beginning to think such things. The town seemed the same as it always did: the elders continued to guide the younger ones, even as they passed from the simplicity of youth into the awkwardness of adolescence. Those he had grown up with became bigger, stronger, faster than they had been before. He himself had grown into a hulking giant of sorts, his thick muscles as hard as granite. Serinity had aged gracefully as well; though her body had become more lithe and graceful with time, her verdant eyes still retained their youthful, mischievous sparkle. She now looked more and more like Dixie, although the difference in their sub types kept them from looking exactly alike.

While everyone's appearance had changed, though, that didn't mean that things weren't the same…or did it? Golem wasn't certain; he didn't know what was causing him to feel so uneasy lately. On the surface, nothing had really changed with time, but somehow…he couldn't quite put words to what he was feeling. A strange uneasiness…a sense that the village was not as calm as it seemed. Lately…he could sense an unusual tenseness from the elder monsters, one that hadn't existed before.

Or was it that this uneasiness had always been there, and he had just been unable to notice it as a child?

Golem didn't know. Certainly, the tenseness he felt around the elder monsters was something that seemed far along, like it had only grown worse and more pronounced with time. But if that was the case, what was causing it? And how could he, how could any of the younger monsters, help to assuage it?

Something else had been nagging at him too, something he had noticed lately. The adult monsters were acting markedly different than they had before. Suddenly, it seemed like they were having the younger ones perform more and more drills; menial tasks that grew only more difficult with time. He and Serinity had less time to do other things they enjoyed now, since they were usually forced to repeat certain tasks over and over again. Now, most of Serinity's time was spent attempting to strike discs of wood thrown into the air by Fairy Hopper with her energy beams, while Golem found himself being instructed to smash apart rocks and boulders again and again. Rocky Fur and Mustardy sparred together; Balon, Aqua Mew and Pink Hopper often had to run races against one another, leaping from tree branch to tree branch, while Fly Eye had mediation drills which might take days at a time. With all of this work, there was little time for other things…

…Like finding mystery discs to expand the village.

Golem stopped short, startled by that realization. He had never noticed before, but it was true: there were no longer any expeditions to find mystery discs anymore. In fact, now that he thought about it, he had never even been on an expedition with the others! He was the youngest monster in the village; no others had been unlocked after him.

But…why…?

It was during another one of his drills, a few days after his sudden realization, that he received an answer of sorts to that question. He was training hard at the time, despite being distracted by his own confusion and wondering about what he had discovered. Suddenly Serinity's voice came to his weary ears, in a frightened shriek that instantly made him forget his fatigue.

"Somebody come quick! Melon's been hurt bad!"

Golem felt a cold chill run down his spine; Melon was one of the adult monsters, a Suezo/Zuum hybrid who was very close to many of the children, particularly Fly Eye. Forgetting his assigned drills at once, the stone giant ran to where he heard Serinity's continued screams for help.

The scene that greeted his widened eyes was almost too much for him to grasp.

Serinity crouched on the ground, tears streaking her face as she knelt by the crumpled form that barely resembled the beloved elder they knew. A huge gash stretched down the suezo hybrid's side, nearly detaching his leg from his body, and a puddle of crimson blood stained the petals of the flowers beside him. The normally cheerful, sparkling golden iris was fogged yellow with pain, and the venerable monster seemed to be barely aware of where he was. Between sobs, Serinity was struggling to cast her healing spell, even though it didn't appear that anything could seal that horrible gash away.

The other villagers slowly gathered, forming a murmuring circle around their fallen friend. Somehow, they all sensed the proper distance at which they should stand from them, and as they milled around anxiously, Golem looked around in dazed confusion, desperately wondering what he could do.

There was a scream, and suddenly Fly Eye thrust past the other monsters and dashed to Melon's side. Falling to a crouch beside Serinity, the younger hybrid howled almost incoherently, begging his old friend to rise up and get better.

"You'll be okay…Melon, you'll be okay," he repeated over and over again, as if saying this constantly would make it true. "You've just gotta be okay, old guy, you've gotta be! Don't give up on me now…we need you…"

"What happened?" Dixie shouted, flying up to the crowd. Not knowing what else to do, Golem pointed to Melon's body, and the elder pixie let out a short gasp, then ran to her friend's side. Kneeling beside Serinity, she gently stroked Melon's bleeding face, whispering, "Melon? Come on, Melon, answer me."

The suezo hybrid moaned, and his foggy eye seemed to focus on Dixie's concerned face. As Fly Eye choked back tears, Dixie continued to brush Melon's side, ignoring how his blood stained her hands red.

"Melon, what happened?" she asked, a strange insistence in her voice. Melon coughed again, obviously struggling to speak.

"They're coming…" he rasped at length, then, more urgently, "Dixie-chan, they're coming! They're coming to end it!"

"When?" Dixie asked, voice cracking.

"Right now! Dixie-chan…they want to end this today! I saw them heading this way! I tried to sneak off, but one of them…they spotted me, and really worked me over…I barely made it here, but I had to warn you…had to warn you…"

"How many?"

"Too many for me to count. Dixie-chan…I'm sorry…I wanted to warn you…I had to let you know…"

"We're warned now. Thank you, Mel-kun," Dixie sobbed, using a nickname that Golem had never heard before. Staring at her, he noticed that her cheeks were streaked with tears, and she continued to stroke Melon's face even as his eye slowly closed.

"Mel…Melon? Melon?" Fly Eye choked, eye overflowing with tears. A sullen radiance pulsed under the elder suezo's skin, and then a flash of white light hid him from sight. When the light receded, Golem stared blankly at a single gray disc, swathed in reeds, which stood where Melon's body had been.

Serinity gasped. Fly Eye choked on his own tears. The other villagers cried out and began to murmur amongst themselves. Golem just continued to stare at the lost disc, somehow knowing what it meant although he had never seen one before. After several moments, Dixie slowly stood; solemn gaze fixed on what lay before her.

"So it begins," Golem overheard her whisper. "I always prayed that it wouldn't come to this, but I knew that it would. Still…it's too soon; the children are not ready… But there's no time for regrets now. Now, all we can do is fight, and hope that we can win…"

Spinning on her heel to face everyone, Dixie clapped her hands three times, the signal she had always used to get everyone's attention. As all eyes turned to her, the pixie hybrid took a deep breath, then fixed her piercing gaze on all those before her.

"Listen to me, everyone!" she shouted. "We are in grave danger! We have to all prepare for a fight!"

"A fight? What's going on?" Rocky demanded, staring around at the adult monsters, who didn't appear to be as startled as the younger monsters were by this. Dixie paused, then turned to stare at him, studying his face carefully for a few moments as if trying to detect something there. After a while, she turned her gaze to the other adults, and something seemed to pass unspoken between them, for she finally nodded slightly and sighed.

"I had hoped that none of you children would never need to hear any of this," she murmured quietly, shaking her head a bit. "But it appears that there is no choice…you have every right to know all of this."

She paused, took a shuddering breath, glanced over at the adult monsters again, then sighed again and closed her eyes for a moment before speaking again, slowly and deliberately, as if weighing each word for impact in her mind.

"Some time ago…long before any of you were unlocked…when I myself was just a child myself…humans lived in this village."

"What's a human?" Pink Hopper asked, blinking her wide eyes in confusion.

"Humans are creatures that look somewhat like Dixie and Serinity, only without wings and less vibrantly colored skin and hair," Fairy Hopper offered in explanation.

"They are very weak things, too, with no magical abilities or strengths at all," Crab Saurian added with a disdainful snort. "Rather pathetic creatures..."

"Weak or not, the humans in this village still lived side by side with us monsters," Dixie continued, shooting Crab Saurian a murderous glare. "We lived peacefully enough together, working side by side with the humans without many problems. Certainly, there were occasional arguments and such between certain individuals, but never anything too serious."

"Depends on what your definition of serious is," Crab Saurian muttered.

"However, all this suddenly changed when I was about three or four years old. During a training session, one of my friends, a Tasman, suddenly went wild and attacked a human child. In saving the youngster, the humans were forced to…kill Tasman. There was no other option available…he had kept the child fairly pinned against the wall, and not allowed anyone to get his victim away from him, barring his own death. They…had no real choice…"

"There is always a choice," one of the elders muttered, but Golem couldn't tell just who it was. He was more focused on listening to Dixie's tale at the moment.

"After this, things began to change. Many of the monsters were deeply shocked and upset by the idea of the humans murdering one of their own; the humans said that it was necessary to save the child's life. Some of the monsters accused them of valuing the lives of other humans more highly than those of monsters. Things continued to get worse and worse, until…"

Dixie faltered for a moment in her narrative, taking another deep breath. Her eyes closed in silent pain as she spoke again, her voice soft and sorrowful.

"One night, some of the monsters of the village got together and…massacred the humans. They had no chance to fight back; many of them were murdered in their own beds, their own homes. Those who resisted, who managed to force their assailants out of their homes and lock them outside, had their homes burned to ashes. No one…not a single human survived the attack. Everyone of them…men, women, children…were murdered, wiped out of existence by some of those that they lived with and trusted."

A terrible silence followed her words. Golem stared at her in shock, unable to fully grasp the meaning of her words for some time. The concept was totally alien to him. Dixie's eyes opened slightly again, and he could see sorrow shining clearly in their shimmering depths.

"Those who had not participated in the massacre were unable to stop it from occurring, but managed to round up and drive out those who were responsible afterwards," she continued after the silence had become unbearable. "Since those who had killed the humans were tired and weak, they were unable to fight back, and those who were not killed were driven out of the village, banished from it. If any of them ever tried to return, they were informed, they would be killed on sight. Those of us who remained, the ones who had not murdered our former friends the humans, remained and attempted to rebuild the village. With time, we began to seek out mystery discs to expand our numbers. Although we knew that life would be different without the humans around, we hoped that we would still be able to live peacefully…"

"But that, unfortunately, is not the case," Crab Saurian spoke up again. "Those who were banished did not die in the wild, as we had thought they would, and instead lived in secret, striking out at us whenever they could. Since we sided with the dead humans instead of them, they saw us as traitors, and have tried to kill us many times. That's why we have always been careful to keep you younger monsters in the safety of the village whenever possible. But now…"

"Now, they're bringing the fight to us," Fairy Hopper finished, his wide eyes startlingly solemn. "Looks like they're tired of waiting."

"Yes…" Dixie nodded, then she looked around at the stunned faces of the younger monsters and sighed again. "As I said before, I hoped that you would never need to know any of this…that the past would not end up affecting your lives as well. But now it's too late for such concerns. If I thought you'd be able to make it, I'd tell you to escape…but from what Melon told us, I doubt that anyone who attempted to flee would live very long. I'm sorry that all of you have gotten caught up in this. I only hope that none of you will have to pay with your lives for what has gone before…I'm so sorry."

Golem stared at her sorrowful face, felt his mouth open to speak, and had no idea what he could say to comfort her. What could he say that could possibly take away the pain of what she had just confessed to them?

He was spared having to come up with anything by the chilling roar that came from the woods. The villagers froze, then turned as one to face their enemy as best they could. Eyes glowed in the branches, then suddenly unfamiliar monsters burst from the trees, and the world became a whirl of fury and fighting…

Golem had never seen a battle before in his young life. True, he had witnessed the occasional scuffles between friends, seen the other children roughhousing with one another, but he had never joined in. The worst injuries he had seen prior to Melon's death were the scrapes and bruises that came with being a child at play, never anything serious or life threatening.

Now, though, he looked, and he saw. Moments of horror, frozen in time; Fairy Hopper being overwhelmed and dragged to the ground, Crab Saurian burying his teeth in the soft flesh of another saurian's back, Dixie screaming as an energy bolt tore though her right wing, shredding it. Friends dying, strangers dying, those who were managing to live being horribly injured, some drenched with their own blood or that of others, often both.

One of the new monsters, a golem who looked almost exactly the same as him except for the green scales that covered his body, leapt at him, thick hands grasping for his throat. Instinct took over, and Golem lashed out with his fist, catching the stranger in the gut and knocking him into the river. Even as a spray of frigid droplets of water splattered his face, he turned and slammed his other arm into the face of another golem hybrid; this one was colored blue and white, and he fell backward as well, roaring in anger.

"Golem! Look out!"

As Golem's mind registered that scream as being Serinity's, a thin blast of light green lightning flashed past him and struck the face of the Scaled Golem, who had emerged from the river and was on the verge of striking him from behind. Golem glanced back at him in shock, then whirled to see Serinity soaring nearby, her fingers still glowing slightly. Before he could thank her, his eyes widened as he saw something she didn't, and he tried to scream a warning.

Too late. The fireball struck the slender young pixie full in the back, and as her mouth opened in a soundless scream, the orange fire engulfed her body, crackling and burning. She fell, her tattered, scorched wings no longer able to support her, and Golem stumbled forward to catch her, somehow managing to snatch her from midair before she tumbled into the fray below.

"Serinity!"

Her eyes fluttered open, and a faint smile touched her lips as she gazed up at him. Tears blurred Golem's vision, so thankfully he could no longer see the spreading crimson stain darkening her short orange hair or the awkward angles at which her limbs were bent. All he could see was her gentle smile, the dim glitter of her sparkling eyes.

Then those fresh green eyes drifted closed, and the hybrid sighed softly, releasing her last breath gently. A faint smile still lingered on her pale lips, even as her broken frame began to glow. Golem stood paralyzed with shock, unable to move, unable to even call out the name his heart and mind shrieked, as the white radiance spread over her form, changing it. As it faded away, he stared at the lifeless stone disc resting in his cupped hands.

Then a fiery heat began to grow in his chest, building into an overwhelming rage, and as his eyes began to glow with an unearthly white light, he knew only anger, then no more.

* * *

Golem's voice trailed off, and as the thread of his tale drifted away, Hare blinked a few times in a futile attempt to clear the tears from his eyes. He stared up at the stone giant, saw that his friend's soft gray eyes were misted slightly with remembrance. Golem gazed up toward the stars, and for a while neither could find the words to speak.

"…That is all I remember," Golem finally said, softly. "I remember after the battle, when I discovered I was the last one left alive in the valley, but the battle itself…"

"…I'm…sorry…" Hare whispered, unable to think of anything else to say. Golem glanced down at him, and smiled sadly.

"Do not be," he said. "I miss my friends, but that is why we are searching for the Phoenix. One day we will find it, and then I will have my new friends meet my old friends."

He fell silent again, and gazed back up at the stars. Nothing else was said for the rest of that long night.

* * *

"Come on everyone, wake up! Let's go find that Phoenix!"

Genki fairly bounced around as he yelled for his friends to awaken. As Suezo muttered darkly about being too perky in the morning, Hare blinked in surprise and got up with a start. He did not remember falling asleep at all, yet he apparently had, and he glanced worriedly over at Golem. The stone giant was quietly helping Holly to her feet, then turned and noticed Hare looking up at him. He smiled reassuringly, although his smile had a touch of sadness to it, then he looked down at Holly as the girl checked her pendant.

Suddenly she gasped, and as the others watched in startled amazement, her pendant began to glow brighter than it ever had before. The radiant light arced around the Magic Stone, and Hare felt the Phoenix's Tear grow warmer under his kerchief, reacting to the light as well. A beam of white light seemed to shoot outward, pointing forward before fading away, and the Magic Stone returned to its normal state.

"What…was…that?" Suezo asked, his eye wide.

"I guess…we're really close to where the Phoenix lies asleep?" Holly offered, giving the others a hopeful look. Grasping the Phoenix's Tear, Hare could only nod in agreement.

"All RIGHT! Then what are we waiting for, people?" Genki demanded. Whirling on his heel in the direction that the light beam had gone, he shouted, "Let's GO!"

"CHI!"

"Yeah!" Holly, Hare, Golem, Suezo and Tiger shouted in unison, and the seven searchers ran off, hearts considerably lighter, all of them certain that their quest was nearing its end at last.

* * *

Not far away, blood red eyes opened as another monster awoke. Craning his long, furry neck, the creature looked around, stirred awake by his sensing another's imminent awakening.

"No…" he hissed, crimson eyes glowing faintly, "No, Phoenix, you will not oppose me again. I have finally regained my real body…you will not defeat me again. I will not allow you to…"  


Spreading massive wings that nearly blotted out the sun, Moo rose from his palace and took flight for the first time in ages, ready to fight again. And this time, he vowed silently, he would win.


	24. Endgame

I still do not own Monster Rancher.

Well, this is it: the final confrontation between Moo and the Courageous Seven. This is the last battle, and finally all of you loyal readers of my series will get to see how the Phoenix is revived in this. This is the climax, the ending. Well, at least for this section of the series. However, before anybody goes ballistic, let me assure you that this is not going to be the LAST story I write using this storyline. I am planning on doing a follow-up series, even if it takes a while before I can get it started. I do have some other stories I want to try, but I will continue with this series! So don't kill me…

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Black energy arced around pulsing crimson light, and Hare winced as sweat rolled down his face and into his eyes. His friends crouched behind him, staring up at the towering dragon that hovered above them; the image tinted scarlet by the flickering dome that protected them from his wrath.

"I don't know how long I can keep this up, guys!" Hare warned, keeping his voice low enough to keep Moo from overhearing him. The last thing he desired was to alert the monster to his weakness. Another blast of ebony flames crashed into the shield, and the little rabbit screamed in agony. For a moment he swayed where he stood, and nearly crumpled to his knees. Biting his lip, Hare forced himself to remain standing, keeping his stance as firm as he could with his waning strength.

A low growl rumbled from Tiger of the Wind's throat, and golden eyes flashed as the lupine monster glared daggers up at Moo. "I can't stand cowering here like a helpless child!" he snarled, and his entire body tensed as he prepared to dash toward Moo.

"No!" Golem quickly brought his massive hand down over Tiger. He knew better than to actually grab the blue wolf, but the fact that his palm hovered mere inches above the lupine monster was signal enough that he would grab him if he tried to attack.

Holly bit her lip and tightened her sweaty grasp on the mystery disc that she and the others had just located a few minutes before. The smooth stone had a strangely comforting warmth to it, and somehow the girl knew that this was what they had searched for so long: that this contained the body of the Phoenix. She had sensed it the moment they had uncovered it, and so had all the others.

But now…so close to their goal…it appeared that it was all over.

Holly's soft brown eyes suddenly became steely, determined. _No. Things would not end this way. Not while she lived._ Gritting her teeth and tightening her arms around the mystery disc, the girl suddenly broke away from the others and darted out of the safety of the shield. The others gaped at her, but none of them dared call out her name. They all realized what she was up to, and prayed that she wouldn't be noticed.

But their hopes were shattered as Moo pivoted on his heel and glared directly at the running girl. "What are you doing, Holly dear? You should know better than to try something like that." Ebony flames crackled in his gaping maw, and crimson eyes gleamed as the dragon craned his neck for a better shot.

"_HOLLY!_" All of the searchers screamed the girl's name in unison, and she turned in time to see the torrent of jet-black fire as it surged toward her. Her bronze eyes widened in terror, and her mouth opened in a soundless scream as the blazing stream swept toward her. Hare vainly tried to cast a shield around the girl, even though he already knew that it was too late; she was too far out of range.

Suddenly something darted past the rebels and slammed into Holly's side, pushing her away from the blast. Hugging the precious mystery disc to her chest, the girl gazed up at her rescuer with a mixture of shock and thankfulness in her shimmering eyes.

"Genki," she breathed, gently stroking the boy's cheek with one hand. The youth grinned back at her, and tightened his grip around her body as he skated toward the temple. The other rebels cheered in relief, and Hare felt a shaky smile come to his face as the two humans rushed off to revive the monster locked within the hidden disc.

Moo was considerably less pleased with this turn of events. The monster let out a thundering roar of outrage, and whirled toward the two humans. "NO! You will NOT revive the Phoenix! I will NOT be defeated again!"

"So that really does contain the Phoenix's body," Hare said quietly, glancing back at the others to see if they had caught Moo's little slip of the tongue. The exuberance he glimpsed on their faces was sign enough, and the little rabbit grinned slightly as he turned his attention back to strengthening the barrier. A hopeful thought flashed into his mind, and he whispered, "We might just pull this off yet…"

"I will not be destroyed again!" Moo raved, and flames gushed from his mouth toward the fleeing humans. Genki gritted his teeth and swerved to avoid the blasts, which seemed to strike closer and closer to the two each time. Holly clung to the Phoenix's mystery disc desperately, and as a streak of ebony fire lanced past them, she flinched and leaned closer to Genki's body, one arm wrapped around his shoulders.

"Come on, kid," Tiger growled, and Hare glanced worriedly at the blue wolf before whirling to look at the two humans again. Suezo whispered Holly's name, twisting its sound into a sort of prayer, and Mocchi's eyes wavered with fear as he watched two of his closest friends dodge the fiery attacks. Golem stared at the duo in silence, unable to put his longings for their safety into words.

Suddenly a nagging in the back of the rabbit's mind made him turn to glance up at Moo. The towering monster's frustrated grimace was twisting into a smirk, and Hare felt his confidence take a sudden plunge. He knew that look: it was the same expression the leader of the baddies had worn in all of his nightmarish visions, moments before…

"Oh no, _LOOK OUT!_" Hare shrieked, eyes wide with a nameless terror and anxiety. The sound of his desperate plea was nearly lost in the roar as Moo's maw gaped open and sent a volley of ebony beams streaking toward the two humans. Genki started to turn around, and Hare caught a glimpse of the boy's startled expression right before the flash of black light temporarily blinded the searchers.

Time slowed to an agonizing crawl and instants stretched into eternity. The two humans seemed to have been suspended in midair, as if held there by the beams of ebony light that lanced into their bodies. Genki's head was flung back, his clear eyes wide and blank with pure shock. His hat fell to the ground, knocked off by the force of the blow, and his short, unruly brown hair waved slightly. Holly floated beside him, similarly skewered by the dark beams, and the sparkling remnants of her tears were scattered around her pale cheeks. She hugged the broken mystery disc to her shattered chest with a grip that refused to loosen even after death.

Hare heard himself screaming their names, felt his wavering eyes widen with horror as the two humans dropped slowly to the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Mocchi's terrified face, and all the color drained out of the little pink monster's face as realization slowly dawned on him. Suezo started screaming, his pupil dilating as it focused on the two dead children. Hare could not see the expressions on Tiger and Golem's faces, nor did he want to.

Moo's victorious laughter echoed around them, mocking, triumphant. "So much for your valiant quest for the Phoenix," he sneered, a demonic smirk tugging at his ghastly features. Soulless eyes swept over the five monsters, and he boomed, "So…which one of you wants to be next? If you don't want to volunteer, I'll just have to choose one of you…"

"_RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUGGGGGHHHHH!_"

A sudden flash of blue-white streaked past Hare, and the rabbit stared at the blur as it darted toward a laughing Moo.

"Stop it, Tiger!" Hare heard his own voice scream. "You can't defeat Moo on your own!"

"_I DON'T CARE! MOO HAS TO PAY FOR WHAT HE'S DONE!_" The blur slowed down, and Hare caught a glimpse of flashing golden eyes as Tiger of the Wind raised his head and summoned his Lightning. Electrical energy pulsed around ivory horns and surged into the frightful dragon's flank. A deep laugh rumbled from the towering monster, and Moo's eyes gleamed blood red as he brought one of his hands sweeping down. Hare screamed Tiger's name as one ebony claw clipped the lupine monster's side, and crimson blood began to soak into cerulean fur even as the blue wolf leapt away and landed on his feet, breathing hard.

"BLIZZARD!" Tiger roared, a gust of frigid air erupting from his mouth and blasting the massive paw. Moo ignored the attack, even as his claws were coated with ice, and leered down at the attacking monster as he took another swipe at him. The other four rebels watched in horror as the blue wolf's body was sent reeling back toward them, and Tiger skidded to a stop mere inches away from the barrier.

"Tiger…let me heal you, at least," Hare pleaded, staring at the deep gouge in the lupine monster's side. The blue-furred wolf shook his head slightly, even as he struggled back to his feet. Crimson blood oozed down his side and dripped steadily to the ground, yet Tiger managed to lurch back to his feet and lunge back toward the laughing Moo, energy crackling around his horns.

"…Hol…Holly…"

Hare heard the soft whisper behind him, and barely recognized Suezo's voice. Tearing his gaze away from the terrible fight, the little rabbit turned to see the eyeball monster still staring blankly at where Holly's body lay, his pupil a single, foggy dot of green. Slowly, however, the incomprehension so clearly etched on Suezo's face began to twist, reflecting agony for a few moments, then turning into a fierce glare. His eye became startlingly cold, gleaming with hatred none of the other searchers had ever seen in the eyeball monster before.

"_HHHHHOOOOOOOOOOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLYYYYYYYYYY!_"

And then the eyeball monster lunged forward, moving with a speed that none of the others had ever known that he possessed. Maybe his newfound speed was born from the sudden rage that boiled within him. Before his startled friends could react, Suezo had surged past them and charged directly at Moo. Even the massive dragon seemed to be slightly surprised, and the eyeball monster's tail slammed into the baddie's cheek with a deep thwack. Roaring, Moo brought one huge paw around and swatted his attacker away, even as Tiger charged at the dragon again. Suezo skidded to a stop a few feet away, and the eyeball monster coughed up blood as he struggled to stand again.

Suddenly something stepped past the little rabbit, and Hare stared up at the stone giant in open-mouthed terror as Golem moved toward Moo. Hare screamed the rock monster's name, and Golem glanced back at his two friends.

"Golem go too, chi?" Mocchi asked, tears still running down his pink cheeks. The stone giant nodded in reply, and then stomped off, raising a fist to slam it into Moo's side. The two youngest rebels watched in horror as the baddie swiped at Golem and sent him sprawling away.

"Golem, Suezo, Tiger, please stop! You'll die…" Hare choked, watching the fight helplessly from behind the shield. He flicked a glance over at where Genki and Holly still lay motionless on the rocky ground. The rabbit longed to rush to their side, to try and heal them if it was possible, but he couldn't just leave Mocchi defenseless. His shield was the only thing standing up against Moo's power…

"Chiiiii…" Mocchi breathed, watching the battle. The pink monster's eyes wavered in fear, then abruptly hardened as a new determination filled them. Taking a deep breath, Mocchi began to walk forward, toward the battle.

Suddenly Hare shrieked, "NOOOOO!" and grabbed the little monster by the shoulders. Mocchi stared at the rabbit, stunned, as he choked out, "Please, Mocchi…you can't go! If you try to fight Moo, you'll be killed! Please, just stay here where's it's safe until I can think of some sort of plan…I don't want to lose…any more friends…"

"Hare-chi…" Mocchi whispered, eyes wavering as the rabbit trailed off into sobs. After a moment, a slight smile crossed over the younger monster's beak, and he gently pulled away from Hare's grasp. As the little rabbit stared at him, Mocchi said, "Mocchi be okay, chi? Mocchi be really careful. You help Genki and Holly, okay, chi?"

"But Mocchi…it's not safe…"

"Nobody said this would be safe, chi." Hare gaped at Mocchi, slightly taken aback by the solemn tone that the pink monster said this in. Smiling bravely, Mocchi stepped out of the safety of the shields. Turning to take one last glance at the stunned rabbit, the youngest member of the rebels curled into a ball and bounced toward Moo and the main battlefield.

"CHERRY BLOSSOM BLIZZARD, CHI!"

The small pink blossoms swirled through the air, and a few stray petals wafted toward the glimmering crimson shield. For a moment, Hare watched the blossoms flit past him, an expression of complete shock and sorrow on his face. Then, as a new determination filled his wavering brown eyes, the rabbit turned away and sprinted toward where the two humans had fallen.

__

Oh man, they're worse off than I thought, the rabbit thought, wincing as he skidded to a stop next to the two humans. The tears that already brimmed in his eyes threatened to spill out, and he quickly squeezed them shut, both to keep himself from losing control and to shut out the sight of the shattered chests of his friends. A crimson aura flared around his body, and healing energy poured from his willing paws into the two unresponsive bodies.

"Come on, come on," Hare murmured, reaching out mentally to the two humans, trying to find some spark of life left that the flames of the Phoenix's Tear could amplify. Instead, he only felt a terrifying cold sensation from both of his friends, a numbness that would not be warmed by the heat of his healing magic.

__

* No…NO! Come on, you two, please wake up! *

"RAAAUUUGGGHHH!" Tiger howled as he was blown backwards once more, his yelp mixing with the cries of the others. The blue wolf stumbled back to his feet, gasping for breath. One entire side of his body was soaked in his own lifeblood now, the same blood that continued to slowly drip from his tangled fur and stain the ground. The other three fighting monsters were in similar shape: Golem limped noticeably, as did Suezo, whose entire body was covered in scratches and blood. Mocchi's soft pink skin was scratched up as well, and all four monsters looked like they were on the verge of collapse. And yet, still, they continued to fight, even as Moo laughed off half of their attacks.

Hare saw all of this, and recognized it. It was the same scene he had seen played out so many times at night, when terrible nightmares flowed into his mind. Turning away from the sight, he attempted to focus solely on healing Genki and Holly. At the same time, however, he could tell that it was hopeless: the two humans were already far beyond the point where his admittedly meager skills could help them.

Wait…there was one thing left he could try. Closing his wavering eyes, Hare tightened his sweaty grip on the Phoenix's Tear. The thousands of thoughts that flashed through his mind began to take focus, and an idea slowly began to form in his mind.

__

* If the power of the Phoenix's Tear is truly linked to the Phoenix, then maybe I can use it to revive Genki and Holly. I have to do something, at any rate. I can't…I won't let everyone else die! *

Shutting out the sounds of the battle that raged nearby as best he could, Hare began to pray. His paws clenched around the Phoenix's Tear, remaining tight even as the smooth crystal became blisteringly warm. Part of his mind wondered briefly at the fact that the fur on his palms wasn't catching on fire from the intense heat, but he soon pushed that thought out of his mind.

"Phoenix's Tear, please heal my friends," he pleaded, the sound of his soft voice lost in the roar of the battle behind him. Nothing happened to Genki or Holly, so he tried saying, "Bring them back…bring Genki and Holly back…"

__

* Please work *

"Phoenix's Tear, restore them!" No response.

__

* Please *

"Life Restoration!" Nothing. "Flames of Life!"

__

* Work please work please work *

"Revive! Come back!"

__

* Come back, don't leave me alone, work please work please *

"Phoenix's Tear, please guide the spirits of my friends…"

__

* I won't be able to live if you end up dying please come back *

"…Back to their bodies, Phoenix's Tear please…"

__

* Bring them back, make them come back *

"Phoenix, guide my friends back safety…"

__

* Oh Goddess Tiger just screamed Tiger never screams unless he's really hurt badly please come back please *

"Resurrection! Revive!"

__

* Genki Holly Mocchi Golem Suezo Mocchi Tiger don't let them die please protect them please *

"I said Revive! Bring them back! Please!"

__

* Please *

As Hare continued to search for the words that would trigger the spell he wanted, the Phoenix's Tear began to pulse with a fiery red light. His wavering eyes were squeezed shut in concentration, so he failed to notice as the Magic Stone that still hung around Holly's pale neck was beginning to glow with a similar light, a soothing verdant aura. The shattered mystery disc that was clenched in her lifeless arms was bathed in the two glows, and for a moment seemed to glow with an inner light of its own.

"Chiii…"

Mocchi raised his head slightly to glance toward the source of the two shimmering lights. The little pink monster was bleeding from numerous cuts all over his body, yet he still struggled to regain his footing, ready to attack Moo once again. All around him, he could hear the groans and coughs of the other monsters as they attempted to rise.

Moo opened his mouth, and their world erupted into fire. Mocchi felt his body be lifted into the air by the force of the black flames hitting the ground, and as his skin blistered from the intense heat, he looked back at the only source of light left: the flickering reddish glow just at the edge of his vision.

"Hare…chiii…" he sighed, wavering eyes slowly closing as a soft light the color of cherry blossoms began to form around his body. The glow slowly intensified, pulsing brighter and brighter, as Mocchi slipped into unconsciousness.

"Holly…" Suezo murmured, tears falling from his eye as a saffron light surrounded his limp body.

"Genki…" An aura the same deep sapphire hue as his fur blazed around Tiger of the Wind's broken form.

"Gol…" Soft gray eyes misted with tears as a silvery light enveloped Golem's body.

The four auras blazed fiercely for a moment, then streaked away from the bodies they surrounded and toward the crimson light. The Phoenix's Tear began to change colors in rapid succession; red, pink, yellow, blue, silver, and finally a blazing white. Hare didn't notice this, and the rabbit sobbed as he flung back his head, screaming out one last attempt to get the spell right:

"_Phoenix REVIVE!_"

The pieces of the shattered mystery disc burst into violent white light, enveloping the bodies of the two humans. Hare opened his eyes with a gasp, staring at the sight, then was forced to shield his eyes when the light became too intense to bear. At his neck, the Phoenix's Tear pulsed and flared with crimson light, and the fiery aura surrounding his body intensified. As the pillar of white light before him rose into the air, a scarlet beam shot from the startled rabbit's body and surged into the glowing mystery disc, which was suddenly whole once more.

"_What?_" Moo exclaimed. Even the mighty dragon was forced to shield his eyes, and he cried out in agony. "_This light…this terrible light! It burns! It BURNS!_"

He screeched in pain, and four more beams of light shot out from the forms that were still suspended in the air before him. The four auras –faintest rose, brightest yellow, deepest blue, and purest silver– joined the crimson light in pulsing around the pillar of blinding white light. Shielding his wavering brown eyes from the blinding light, Hare could barely make out Moo's shrieks of agony.

And then a new cry echoed through the air: the clear, piercing call of a bird.

Hare's eyes widened, and he stared up at the blazing light before him as a massive figure rose from the pillar. Massive wings churned the air, wings the color of blazing flames dusted with the slightest hint of gold. Wide, wild eyes glowed with a white light, and the figure craned back its regal head and let out another musical cry.

"The…Phoenix…" Hare breathed, awestruck. Then, as the incredibly beautiful avian rose from the light and flew toward a screaming Moo, he felt all of his strength suddenly abandon him. As he dropped to the ground, Hare continued to stare dully up at the firebird, even as his sight dimmed and faded.

At his neck, the Phoenix's Tear blazed with intense crimson light before shattering.

* * *

The first sensation that Hare became aware of as his eyes fluttered back open was the fact that a gentle breeze was stirring his fur. It felt amazingly refreshing, and the rabbit soon forced his eyes to open completely. As he sat up, he felt something smooth and rocklike drop off of his chest, and he glanced down in confusion.

He gasped in shock. The Phoenix's Tear had completely shattered. The largest piece was still hanging limply around his neck, but it no longer glowed with the same faint inner light that he had become used to. Not only that, but it was no longer even the slightest bit warm, but as cold and lifeless as any ordinary crystal. Hare cradled the pieces in his paws for a few moments, stunned into silence.

"…Genki? Holly? You guys?" he called out, raising his head to look around. There was no sign of the other six searchers anywhere. Getting shakily to his feet, Hare slowly began to wander around, scanning the area in confusion as he continued to call out the names of his friends.

"Genki? Holly? Mocchi? Tiger? Golem? Suezo? Where are you guys? Won't you please answer me? I–"

Hare gasped, and his wavering eyes widened as he stared disbelieving at the scene before him. Genki and Holly lay motionless on the cold, rocky ground, the boy's clear eyes staring blankly into the sky, the girl still hugging the shards of the mystery disc to her chest. And nearby…Hare's entire body began to tremble, and he slowly shook his head, trying to deny what he saw.

Four lost discs surrounded the dead children, circled around their bodies almost protectively. Hare knew in one terrible instant just who those four discs had once been, and tears streaked down his face. His shaking legs suddenly refused to support him any longer, and the rabbit fell to his knees, unable to tear his eyes from the sight.

"No…it isn't possible…" he breathed, eyes wavering. "The Phoenix…did the Phoenix lose?"

But no, that was impossible. Hare could no longer sense Moo's presence anywhere, and besides, he would have died long ago if that was the case. The rabbit raised his tear-streaked face to stare up toward clear cerulean skies, felt a calm breeze ruffle his fur as it swept through the quiet valley. Everything seemed to be completely peaceful, a scene that clashed with the agony in his heart. The evil had been banished; the world was free and peaceful again, just like in all those fairy tales. _So why didn't this feel like 'happily ever after'?_

Hare felt his shoulders quiver, and he bowed his head and wept unashamedly. Tears poured down his cheeks and stained his fur, a few drops splashing against the shattered remains of the pendant that still hung at his throat. Hare gazed at what was left of the crystal teardrop and felt outrage begin to boil inside of him. The thin cord snapped as he yanked it from his neck, and the jagged edges bit into his palm unnoticed as he tightened his fingers around it.

"Why now?" he shouted, half-blinded by tears of rage and grief as he glared at the shattered crystal. "Why did you have to break now? After all that time where I could use you and didn't want to, why is it that when I need your powers the most that you fail on me?"

Raising the crystal into the air, he shrieked, "Heal them! Bring all of them back! Don't make me have to lose them now!"

Hare paused, waiting for the familiar rush of energy, willing with all his heart for the power to come racing into his veins one last time. Only silence was his answer. The Phoenix's Tear remained a cool, unchanging weight in his paws, with none of the glimmering aura that he remembered so well. The glow that had always remained around it as long as he touched it was gone, and the only light came from the sun's rays reflecting off of its smooth surface.

Hare slowly lowered his arms, still cradling the useless crystal in his paws. Tears of grief still misted his eyes, and he hugged the shattered pendant to his heaving chest as he began to weep anew.

"It's not fair…I need magic to save my friends," he sobbed, wavering eyes closing as more tears stained his cheeks. He tightened his grip on the Phoenix's Tear again, ignoring how the sharp edges tore into his palms, and he repeated, "I need magic!"

**__**

~ Do you honestly believe that, little one? ~

Hare jerked with surprise, and slowly raised his tear-misted gaze up to meet the shimmering eyes of an indescribably magnificent firebird. He gasped in shock, and jumped backward, staring at the avian as she cocked her head slightly to one side, regarding him with a faint hint of amusement in her gleaming eyes.

**__**

~ Don't be frightened, little one. I am the one that you and your friends have been searching for so long. ~

"You…you are…the Phoenix…" Hare breathed, reaching toward the firebird in an almost dreamlike trance. Suddenly, his eyes widened as comprehension hit him, and he glared at the Phoenix as tears blurred his vision once more.

"You let them die!" he accused, glaring at the mystical bird. "Why aren't you reviving them? You've got to…you have to bring my friends back!"

The Phoenix bowed her head, and a female voice echoed in Hare's mind once more.

**__**

~ I cannot. ~

Hare gaped at her in shock, mouth working soundlessly. The Phoenix regarded him sadly, her glimmering eyes fixed on his pale face.

"W…why not?" he finally managed to demand. The firebird stared directly down at him, beautiful eyes solemn.

**__**

~ Little bunny…let me tell you a story. Then you may be able to understand. ~

The last thing Hare wanted to hear right now was a story, yet something in the Phoenix's gaze kept him from protesting. Instead, he stared up at the firebird, waiting.

**__**

~ Long before you were born, small one, I fought against Moo to save this world. During this fight, I cried for all that he had destroyed during his senseless rampage, and one of my tears crystallized, becoming the pendant that you wear now. ~

"At least it was," Hare murmured, absently gripping the shards in his paws.

**__**

~ At last, I managed to defeat Moo. However, the human scientists who remained did not want any strong monsters to exist anymore, so they used the Final Gate to separate Moo's mind and body. My own spirit and body were separated as well. ~

"You mean it wasn't an accident?"

**__**

~ No. The humans were afraid that I might someday lose control like Moo, so they tore me apart at the same time that they tore apart Moo. My body was sealed away and lost to time, while Moo's body was locked in ice and buried beneath Mount Kairis, and his mind sealed in a black disc and trapped in an underground ruin. However, my spirit remained free, and was eventually reborn in the pure hearts of certain monsters. I continued to survive by sending my spirit from body to body, protecting those I could, always searching for kindred spirits… ~

"Kindred…spirits?"

**__**

~ Monsters who possessed special, unique abilities all their own, even if they did not realize it. After endless searching, I eventually discovered one who shared my love for others, a powerful young monster who possessed great strength, yet refused to use it to fight and spread destruction. A compassionate soul who loved indiscriminately, despite the fact that he lived with others who did not share the same views as he did. That young monster was a purebred stone giant who lived in a beautiful, serene valley in the forest… ~

"Golem?"

**__**

~ Yes, that child was the one you know now as Golem. Part of my spirit was permanently born into him when he was unlocked, and I stayed with him for many years. However, a sorrowful event happened: the monsters of the valley went to war, and there was a terrible massacre. Even though I gave him my aid, unleashing a great deal of the slumbering power within him, I was unable to prevent the deaths of his friends and family. At the end of the battle, Golem was the only survivor, and because he could not remember completely what had happened when I unleashed his power, he blamed himself for their deaths, and vowed to remain watching over his lost friends for all time. ~

"Golem…"

**__**

~ Unable to bear my own guilt, I moved on, although part of my spirit remained locked inside of him. Years passed, and another one who was destined to carry my power was born. His life was not as ideal: the master who locked him and his younger brother was a cruel young boy, completely obsessed with furthering himself and his own dark ambitions, and mindless of those who suffered as he moved along. I did all I could to keep the darkness that swelled in the pup's heart from overwhelming him, yet he still rose up against his trainer one night and murdered him in a rage, fleeing with his little brother into the night. ~

"Tiger…"

**__**

~ With time, the wolf cub and his brother learned how to fend for themselves. The hardships and tragedies that they faced each day hardened his heart over time, gradually forcing him to hide his emotions away, until he practically forgot how to let them show at all. Yet I remained with him, since part of his soul remained pure with his inner strength.

~ However, I knew that all was not well. I had sensed that Moo had found a new host for his spirit, but was not fully aware of how strong that bond was until he suddenly attacked. My presence with the one whom held part of my spirit in his own had inadvertently drawn the evil one directly to me, and he attacked. Again, I attempted to take control of Tiger's body the same way I had with Golem during his own fatal battle, but the darkness in his own heart warred with me, and Moo took advantage of this weakness, murdering many of the wolf's friends and kidnapping his beloved brother. Stricken with guilt and grief, I moved on once more, and set off in search of the place where Moo had come into contact with his new host in an attempt to discover some clue as to how to defeat him. ~

The Phoenix paused in her narrative for a moment, blinking her shimmering golden eyes as they misted slightly with remembrance. Hare noticed this, but said nothing, waiting patiently for her to continue.

**__**

~ I stumbled across the next one who could bear part of my spirit quite by accident. My search led me to a small, secluded village, where I became interested in a pure-spirited young maiden by the name of Holly. I sensed a great power within her, and her loneliness over the loss of her parents. I was already aware of the identity of the one Moo had bonded with, and that only increased my sympathy for the girl, and I watched over her for a few years. Gradually, I became aware of the fact that a great power slumbered within her as well, and that her destiny would eventually become intertwined with the ones who shared ties with me. Knowing that, I remained with her, until she unearthed a mystery disc of her own. Sensing that the one held within could bear some of my spirit as well, I bonded with the eyeball monster as he emerged, and quickly departed from the town thereafter, hoping that my stay there would not lure Moo there. Unfortunately, since that village was where he originated from, my hopes were in vain, as I sensed two years later.

~ By that time, I had learned that there were two more that were destined to carry my spirit. One was you, little bearer of the crystal tear, and the other was not fated to be unlocked until a few months later, when the strength of my bond with you and the other three enabled me to open a portal and pull a certain youngster through to our world at last. ~

"Genki…so is that why he was brought to our world? Simply because he was needed to unlock Mocchi?"

**__**

~ Not entirely. You see, all of you searchers have always had special traits and abilities, in addition to carrying part of my spirit. Indeed, it is because of your uniqueness that I was able to be reborn at all. In Genki's case, he has the rare and special talent of getting others to trust and believe in him. His innocence and determination was needed to draw you and the others to one another, and to hold you together throughout the many trials that lay before you, until your hearts and minds were able to bear the shock of releasing my spirit. Then, and only then, could I truly be reborn. ~

"But…but I still don't understand what went wrong," Hare protested, glancing sadly at the bodies and lost discs behind him. The Phoenix closed her eyes in silent pain.

**__**

~ That was Moo's doing, I'm afraid. They were not supposed to die when my spirit rose from their bodies; they should have been able to bear the shock. But Moo wounded them all extremely badly, and the energy of my spirit rising from them and reuniting with my body…was too much of a shock for their bodies to bear. Since you were not injured as badly, and the Phoenix's Tear took the force of most of the energy, you were able to survive… ~

"But the others weren't," Hare finished sadly, lowering his gaze to the shattered pendant at his chest.

**__**

~ I'm sorry, little one. It wasn't supposed to be like this… ~

"And there's no way you can…bring them back?"

The Phoenix shook her head, and Hare stared up at her in dull shock. Brown eyes wavered with fresh tears, but he did not allow them to fall. Instead, he reached down and fingered the shards of the crystallized tear silently. The firebird could barely hear his soft, resigned whispering.

"If only the Phoenix's Tear hadn't shattered…then I'd be able to help them…I wish…"

**__**

~ There is a way to repair your pendant, if you truly desire it. ~

Hare's head jerked up, and he gaped at the firebird in surprise. She nodded, but her golden eyes were extremely solemn, and her voice was equally so as it echoed in his mind once more.

**__**

~ I can repair it, but only if that is what you truly desire in your heart. You must allow yourself to think clearly, without clouding your mind with the thought of your allies. Remember everything that has happened to you, all of the things that have occurred because of your holding this power. Remember all of the events triggered by its presence in your life, both good and bad alike. Only if your heart and mind have completely consented to wielding this power, with all of its benefits and drawbacks known to you, will I be able to restore it. ~

Hare nodded, and his eyes slowly closed as he remembered. Images flashed through his mind, recalling everything from the moment of his escape from Naga to this point in time. He thought of his terrible visions, and how they had forewarned him in time to change what they foretold. He remembered the fear, the guilt, and the moments of depression, and also the fleeting moments of peace and tranquility that came so briefly to him and the other searchers at times. He thought of how it felt to shoot fire from his hands, dealing death, and of the rush of triumph he felt when he learned that he could heal as well as hurt. After a while, his eyes opened again, and he looked directly at the Phoenix.

"I've decided," he told her confidently, "that I want to be able to use the Phoenix's Tear again. I know that it's difficult, and I know that I'll never be able to be exactly the same as normal monsters, but…it's a part of who I am. I don't think I ever really understood that until just now. As hard as it's been for me before, I still know that this is right; this is a part of me now, just like everything else. And…even in the hardest of times, as bad as things might get, I know that I'll be able to bear it now, because I have my friends…true friends who will always be there for me. Even if we're separated, it won't really matter, 'cause I'll always know that they truly care for me, and love me for who I am! That's all that really matters…"

The Phoenix nodded, and her mental voice held a tinge of pride as she spoke once more.

**__**

~ Then so it shall be. ~

Her fiery wings churned the air, and Hare stared up at her in curiosity as she launched into the sky, circled once, and suddenly dived back toward the earth at a dizzying speed. She streaked back toward him, and for a moment he thought that she would crash directly into him, yet he somehow found the courage to remain standing firmly in place as she lanced toward him. She crashed into him like a blazing spear, and the rabbit's eyes widened in surprise: instead of knocking him to the ground, she seemed to pass directly through his body, and he felt his entire body glow with an inner warmth as she flew through him. The heat concentrated at his chest, and as the last of her tail feathers swept back out of his back, he looked down to see a brilliantly glowing crystal shaped like a teardrop blazing at his neck. He raised his paws up toward it in disbelief, and suddenly the musical voice rang out once more in his mind, piercingly clear.

**__**

~ Now, little one! I will support your power with my own! Call out to your friends! ~

Hare nodded, and tightened his paws around the blazingly warm crystal, raising it into the air. The words formed in his mind, and he called them out at the top of his voice.

"Phoenix! Give me strength! _AURA REVIVE!_"

The familiar crimson light erupted around his body, and for the first time in his life Hare felt a rush of excitement as it flashed into being instead of fear. Closing his eyes, he silently willed the energy that built around him to branch out and envelop his friends. The four lost discs and two lifeless bodies that lay before him were bathed in the soft radiance, and were slowly levitated into the air. Energy coiled around the humans, enveloping them, and scrapes and dried blood faded out of existence, leaving behind clear, unmarked skin. The four discs began to glow with inner brilliance of their own: pink, yellow, blue and silver lights that shifted and grew.

"…Mmm…what?"

Clear brown eyes slowly opened, and Genki looked around in childish confusion as he was gently set back down on his feet. A slender hand slipped into his, and he looked up to see Holly, who was staring around at the others as they gently alighted on the safe earth. He heard Mocchi's gasp of surprise, and saw the strange expressions on the faces of four monsters as they regained their senses.

"We're…alive?" Suezo asked, looking around at an equally stunned Golem and Tiger of the Wind. Then all six of them heard a soft gasp of joy, and turned to see Hare standing a few feet away, staring at all of them. Genki took one look at the rabbit's wavering brown eyes and knew that the fighting was over.

"You guys…" Hare said, taking a hesitant step forward, reaching out with a trembling hand, "I…I thought I'd never see you again!"

And then everything became a happy blur, as the seven searchers suddenly flung themselves into each other's embrace and began to talk all at once, shouting hellos and shrieking with joy. Seven voices chattered and cheered, sobbed and laughed, until the sound rose into the sky and filled the air. There was scattered laughter as Golem hauled all of his friends into his arms at once, lifting them off of their feet, and laughter became a merry shriek as he suddenly toppled onto his back, and they tumbled out of his arms into the fresh grass.

Suddenly Holly gasped, and the others followed her gaze at once. Genki felt his mouth fall open, an expression mimicked by Suezo and Mocchi, and all of the searchers gaped up at the Phoenix in astonishment. The mythical firebird cocked her head slightly to one side, and her golden eyes twinkled with amusement. Hare laughed merrily, seeing the shock on his friends' faces.

"It's really the Phoenix, you guys," he confirmed as Genki turned inquiring eyes back to him. The boy stared at the rabbit, and back at the Phoenix, and they jerked in surprise as her musical voice chimed in all of their minds at once, tinged with laughter.

**__**

~ Pleased to make your acquaintance. I hate to break up this happy reunion, but I'm afraid that it's time. Genki…you must return to your world now. ~

"What?" the boy gasped, staring up at the firebird in shock. Mocchi clutched at the boy's hand possessively, eyes wide as he stared up at his friend.

"Genki have to go, chi?" he asked, near tears. Holly looked at them sadly, bronze eyes wavering, and she leaned against Suezo slightly. Tiger and Golem exchanged a strange look, then turned their attention back to the Phoenix.

**__**

~ Please do not be upset with me. This world is not Genki's native world; he has family and friends back home that he must return to. You must understand this. ~

Genki bowed his head, letting his bangs fall over his face and mask his expression. Mocchi clung stubbornly to his hand, choking back sobs. Hare stepped up beside them, and laid one paw on the pink monster's shoulder, and Mocchi glanced up at the rabbit.

"Does Genki have to go, chi?" he pleaded.

"Yeah, he does. 'Till next time, at least," he added with a knowing wink.

"Next time?" Genki and Mocchi asked in unison. The Phoenix's voice echoed in everyone's minds once more in reply.

**__**

~ Genki must return to his world while I am reviving those who have been lost or turned evil by Moo's power. However, once that is finished, I will be able to use my power to establish a permanent link between the worlds. Once I have done that, he will be able to visit at any time that he chooses. The time frames in both worlds will become synchronized, so he will be able to come here in his free time, whenever he desires, by calling upon the power of this talisman. ~

As she spoke, the Phoenix leaned forward and nuzzled Genki's neck with her beak, and a single gleaming feather fell into his hands. Genki clung to it, weighing it in his hands, and raised wavering clear eyes to the Phoenix as she turned around, kneeling.

**__**

~ Now, Genki Sakura, climb on my back. I will transport you back to your own world. Do not worry, I will contact you when I have finished my work, and you can return. ~

"What will happen to you then, Phoenix?" Holly asked, stepping forward.

**__**

~ I will return to my slumber once more. But if you ever should have need of me once more, the hopeful song that unites your spirits will awaken me once more, and I will return to you. Until then, I wish you all farewell, and will watch over all of you always. ~

Powerful wings churned the air, and Genki clung to the firebird's back as she lifted into the sky. As they rose into the air, he waved back to his friends on the ground, and they waved back, shouting their farewells as he faded from view. They rose higher and higher, soon becoming a fiery blaze of light on the horizon, and then they were gone. Mocchi slowly stopped waving, and lowered his arms as his eyes wavered with tears. Hare gently squeezed his shoulder again, and the little pink monster looked up at the rabbit as he smiled and winked.

"Don't worry. No matter how far away you might be at times, you'll still be in one another's hearts. Nothing can ever change that."

Mocchi nodded, the grin that spread over his face like the first rays of a new dawn on the world. The little pink monster returned the firm grip, and the two young heroes looked back toward the horizon with their other friends, ready for whatever awaited next. The knowledge that they would always have each other's friendship, and that of their other friends, was reassurance enough.


End file.
